Harry Potter and the Animagus Stone
by K J Rowling
Summary: Harry's 6th year is dawning, secrets are to be revealed.... But the essence of evil lurks in the corridors of Hogwarts, and Harry and his friends have to discover what it is while dealing with the catastrophic raging war between the wizarding race.
1. The Discovery

**Disclaimer: **_I do not, and never will, take claim of the most brilliant Harry Potter series written by J K Rowling, although the plot is mine. Any names or real places are purely coincidental, all characters either belong to J K Rowling, or me. Thankyou for your time, please read and review my fan fiction._

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-Harry Potter and the Animagus Stone-

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**Chapter One  
  
**_-The Discovery-_

* * *

The wind was high, almost abnormally so. Ernie Trout was making his way back from a drunken night at the pub. Staggering along the small country lane. He stumbled over some rubbish, cursing and swearing he crawled on his hands and knees looking for someway to get up. His hand met something cold and stoney; it was rough and circular in his hands. It was emitting a silvery light, and inside it was a silvery, thick liquid. Ernie moved his bony fingers and touched the thick substance; it seemed to draw him in. Curiosity getting the better of him Ernie watched as the liquid began to swirl, finally becoming transparent. In the circular stone object was an image, a moving image. Ernie poked it again and took a deep breath as he lurched into the pensieve...  
  
Ernie was standing in a courtroom. A young looking scribe was feverishly scribbling sentences down on a piece of parchment. On two large chairs before the court were two figures, covered by a cloak. Before them were an old looking man with a long silvery beard, and another man with greying hair.  
  
"Albus, you know the consequences of such actions. You yourself mentioned them not long ago." The man with greying hair stated to the taller man.  
  
"And thus these young wizards do not. They did not mean to expose us to the Muggles, Cornelius." The older man said wisely.  
  
"But they did, Albus, and it's beyond our control of what happens to them now. We must hand them over to the Azkaban Guards." Cornelius said, emotionlessly. The two figures squirmed in their seats. Ernie turned as he heard a female voice echo through the courtroom.  
  
"You can't Minister, you just can't!" The red haired girl cried, standing up worriedly. She was wearing robes with an 'H' on the emblem and a badge with 'Head girl' and 'P' on it. She had stunning emerald eyes and fiery dark red hair.  
  
"Please be seated, Ms. Evans." Albus continued.  
  
"Yes, sit down, Mudblood child!" A drawling voice said.  
  
"That was uncalled for, Lucius-" Cornelius began when one of the young boys beneath the cloak stood up.  
  
"Don't you dare call her that! You filthy, disgusting rat. I know you're a Death eater, I know you're one of them!" His companion pulled him down, whispering something.  
  
"You're only making our position worse, James." The boy said quietly.  
  
The red haired girl sat down again, burying her head in her hands. The boy sitting beside her, a pale, peaky looking brown haired one patted her lightly on the back, wiping away his own tears as well.  
  
"It'll be alright, Lily, just wait and see." The boy tried to smile, he too was wearing the black robes like Lily's, he was wearing a 'Head boy' badge and a 'P' one pinned to his robes.  
  
"Oh will it, Remus? Well thanks for letting me know, they'll be handed to the Dementors and everything will be alright?" She asked, breaking down into her hands again. Remus patted her awkwardly.  
  
"I feel sick..." She commented, standing up again, "Mr. Fudge, Professor Dumbledore, may I be excused from court?"  
  
"Very well, Ms. Evans, come back when you are feeling better." Cornelius answered. Dumbledore gave her a pitying look as she swept out of the room.  
  
Ernie looked around, deciding to follow the red head. No one had noticed him yet, but him, being in the drunkard state he was, just staggered out. Lily was kicking a statue of a Griffin, then howling in pain.  
  
"It's not right." she growled, throwing a Knut into the fountain. She shut her eye's, making a wish. Ernie reached over to comfort the girl, but his hand fell straight through her shoulder. Without even a flinch Lily continued down the corridor, sorrow and doubt flooding after her. Her robes billowed behind her as she laid a hand on a door handle, turning it she walked into the darkness.  
  
Before her was a mirror, it shone and reflected some non-existent light. Lily stood before the mirror, wiping her tears away. Ernie looked hard, but all he could see was Lily's reflection. Lily gasped at what she saw standing before her, it was not her own reflection but her, standing beside James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. They were beaming at her; James had his arm lazily draped around her waist, hugging her tight. Sirius had his arm over James's shoulder, laughing as usual. Lily could take it no more; she stepped back, stumbling into the wall. Her tear's reforming.  
  
"They can't send them to Azkaban, they just can't. They exposed the wizarding world to Muggles, it's not a big crime, the Muggles's memories were erased..."  
  
"Court dismissed," came the echoing voice. Lily pounded on the wooden door, crying. The two prisoners were muttering quietly to each other as they were led away by two men with their wands out, pointing at the two black haired boys.  
  
Lily ran to meet them, flinging her arms around James's neck.  
  
"Looks like you got what you wanted, Prongs." Sirius said, trying to smile. James growled at Sirius playfully, hugging Lily back.  
  
"You're a fool Potter, and you Black." Lily added, flinging her arm's around Sirius's neck too.  
"Ooooh, she two-times." Sirius said, playfully, giving Lily a tight squeeze.  
  
"Never thought you cared about us, Evans." James said his voice serious for a second.  
  
"You may be idiots, but you're still human." Her voice suddenly filled with anger for them, "Why did you do something so utterly stupid in the first place?"  
  
"We were having a little celebration, Evans, can't you let that slide?"  
  
"Well, Potter, getting drunk and spilling to a few Muggles all about our world is disgraceful; I'm not saying you two don't thoroughly deserve what is coming to you.... But I'll miss your pranks on the Slytherins, and having to shout at you to stop bullying Severus."  
  
The two boys exchanged looks, and burst out laughing. Lily looked confused as Sirius patted Remus on the back.  
  
"Don't be silly, we're not gone forever, Evans. Moony here managed to get us down to a Six month prison sentence. We owe him our lives." Sirius remarked. James nodded furiously in agreement.  
  
"Six months doesn't sound too bad, ah, Padfoot?"  
  
"Only if the food's as good as the Security." The handsome black haired boy laughed. To be honest, none of them were looking forward to even one second inside a wizarding prison surrounded by Dementors.  
  
"You mean I was worried over nothing?" Lily asked her anger reawakening. Remus smiled and joined her beside James and Sirius.  
  
"Goodbye Prongs, Goodbye Padfoot. Hogwarts will miss you two, but maybe now the Gryffindors will be able to get some house points and keep them."  
  
"Oh, we can't let that happen." James said, looking over his glasses at Remus.  
  
"And if those Slytherins decide to play mean, feel free to put them in their place, Moony." Sirius laughed along with James and Remus.  
  
"Goodbye then, James." Lily smiled, taking James's hand. James could feel something inside of him, like he had just been electrocuted.  
  
"See ya later, Lily." He smiled; she leant over and kissed him softly on the cheek. James blushed as he and Sirius were again led away by the Guards.  
  
"I hope they'll be ok..." she muttered.  
  
"They'll be fine." Remus assured her, "They are, after all, the most intelligent students in Hogwarts."  
  
Ernie suddenly felt a shiver, doubling up he sneezed hard; falling back against the road.  
  
He was shivering and worried, he had been all too soon brought back to being sober. He backed away from the pensieve, looking at it as if was a ticking bomb.  
  
"Witches, Wizards, prisons, Hogwarts." He repeated. Scrambling up the side of the road, he was still on hands and knees. He crawled along 'till he came to a shoe, he looked up. A man stood before him, holding out a long, thin piece of wood.  
  
"Going somewhere?" The man asked, he had a cloak drawn over is face, and bony fingers like Ernie.  
  
"I-I need t-t-to get out of h-h-here," Ernie stammered.  
  
"Not now you don't." The man growled, grabbing Ernie's collar and dragging back to the rubbish and fallen scaffolding beside the road.  
  
"Guess who died here."  
  
"I-I d-d-don't know…" Ernie said, shaking again.  
  
"Well, their names were Lily and James Potter…… Would you like the same fate as theirs?"  
  
"N-n-no." Ernie stammered, grabbing the hem of the man's robe.  
  
"Well, you're much too late…" The man drew his wand and pointed it directly at Ernie.  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Ernie flung his arms out in a bid to protect himself against the fierce blinding green light. Within seconds his life had been swept from his body. The man in the robe threw back his hood, his silvery blonde hair shining in the dim light. He grabbed Ernie's body and dragged it off the pavement, taking one last look at the Potter's house before leaving the wreckage of the small cottage. The robed figure dragged Ernie to a small graveyard down the lane, finally resting at a gravestone. He dropped the lifeless body before the gravestone, wiping blood from his hands and wand. Taking a quick look around he dissaparated leaving behind the quiet graveyard. Beside a tall statue of an angel in tribute to some lost soul a figure stirred. A giant black dog growled, staring directly where the Death eater had been moments before. Padding over to Ernie it flopped down, breathing heavily, its brown pupils shone black; it rolled sideways and disappeared as quickly as it had came.

* * *

Harry Potter groaned as his Uncle spoke the dreaded words.  
  
"Your Aunt Marge is coming to stay, boy, and if there's any funny stuff, any at all, you'll regret-" Uncle Vernon stopped, Harry was holding a piece of parchment, his eye's trailing over it.  
  
"Are you _listening_ to me, boy?"  
  
Harry looked up, his face emotionless.  
  
"Yes, Uncle Vernon. I was just taking the time I had to write to my friends. They want to hear from me every three days, make sure everything's alright, checking up on me." Harry smiled pleasantly at his Uncle. It was more of an evil grin; Harry hadn't smiled properly since ….. Since Sirius's death.  
  
Sirius Black was Harry's godfather; he had been the first person ever to escape Azkaban, the wizard prison. Harry had met him almost two years ago now, on a dark and hateful night like the one they had that night. Harry had looked up to Sirius; he had been the nearest thing Harry could have to a Parent. Both of Harry's Parents were dead, they had been murdered by Lord Voldemort, the most feared wizard of all time, well, not entirely, Lord Voldemort only feared one wizard, Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts headmaster.  
  
"Your Aunt is bringing your ruddy cousin with her, what's her name?" Vernon asked, turning to his wife, Petunia.  
  
"Oh, I'm not quite sure. Daisy, maybe, or was it Maisy?" She asked, frowning.  
  
"Yes, well, besides that, I don't want you giving Maisy, or Daisy, any trouble, boy, you hear me?" Vernon said gruffly.  
  
"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said, tiredly, "can I go to bed now?"  
  
Vernon checked his watch, "Go on, boy, but don't make any noise." Harry nodded, grabbing the parchment and making his way wearily up the stairs. He checked his black hair in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Desperately trying to flatten the front and back of his hair down, which it refused to.  
  
He locked his bedroom door and sat swiftly down on his bed, sighing. He looked up at the stars through his window, pointing up towards Mars. He could almost hear Professor Trelawney's voice now:  
  
"Because, my dears, Mars is in Conjunct with Pluto you may experience some strong desires. Mars and Pluto, when conjunct create strong emotional feelings." The misty voice inside Harry's head said. Harry stared at Mars for what he felt like was a minute, checking his watch he realised seven minutes had passed.  
  
"You in bed, boy?" Vernon asked as he passed, "Turn your light off."  
  
Harry reluctantly switched off his lamp and settled down in bed, closing his eyes tight.

* * *

Before Harry was a graveyard, the graveyard where he had seen Cedric Diggory murdered a year before. He could hear two figures talking in the dark, each whispering to the other. He got close enough to catch some of what they were saying.  
  
"It's that precious to our Lord, that he would risk… all his followers' lives for it?" One asked, the voice sounded oddly squeaky and out of tune.  
  
"Yes, I am afraid so," came the calmer reply.  
  
"He can't do this to us…. We've always been faithful…" said the man with the squeakier voice again.  
  
The other man sighed, starting to walk away. Harry got a glimpse of him before he left.  
  
"You know, Remus, its funny how things turned out." The man squeaked.  
  
"Really? Well, I believe in fate, Wormtail, I believe in fate."

* * *

Harry awoke; he was sprawled on the floor, sweating. Groping in the darkness for the lamp, he heard a crash and a shatter of glass. His hand met the carpet and he winced in pain as a piece of glass slit his hand. Squeezing his hand hard he stood up, running for where he thought the door was. He immediately fell down and felt a shot of pain stream through his cheek. He reached out, seeing the hallway light streaming through the keyhole; he fumbled in the dark for the lock, trying to undo it. He could feel the blood trickling down his cheek. He desperately made one last attempt to find the lock, tripping over an invisible, inanimate object in the darkness. Miraculously he found the key lock, turning it so he heard a click. Turning the handle he pushed the door open, quietly as not to wake Vernon, Petunia or Dudley. He stumbled into the bathroom and switched the light on. Taking some toilet paper he dabbed his cheek gently. Looking down at his hand he dabbed the blood off of that too and started to make his way back to the bedroom. He stopped suddenly, there was a noise coming from downstairs. What could it be? A burglar maybe? Sneaking downstairs Harry heard the fridge door slam. What was this? A fridge raider? Harry reached the kitchen and put his finger over the light switch, gasping when he saw the thief.  
  
"Dudley?" Harry asked, watching as his cousin turned, his arm's full of chocolate.  
  
"Be quiet!" Dudley ordered, switching the light off again. Harry frowned and switched the light back on. After a few minutes of fighting for the light switch with Dudley, Harry gave up and took a seat at the kitchen table.  
  
"You're meant to be a diet, Dudley." Harry reminded his overweight cousin.  
  
"I know. I was just a bit hungry." Dudley replied coldly. "Why are you down here anyway?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep." Harry said, coolly, looking up again through the curtains. "You scared me; I thought we were being robbed by someone normal." Dudley growled. "Were you with Piers Polkiss all of yesterday?"  
  
"Yeah, why?" Dudley asked, stuffing his fat face with some chocolate.  
  
"Did you beat up poor Mark Evans again?" Harry asked, walking to the kettle to start boiling some water.  
  
"Why are you asking?" Dudley replied, with his mouth full of half eaten chocolate.  
  
"Oh, I just wondered, that kid doesn't get an ounce of sympathy from 'Big D' and his gang." Harry teased; impatiently poking the kettle to see if that would help it boil quicker. Dudley sneered at him and went to the door.  
  
"Sweet dreams, Diddykins." Harry laughed, as Dudley left him alone with his thoughts. Sliding into a seat with his tea Harry began to recall his dream. Remus couldn't be a Death Eater, it was crazy…..  
  
But his dream had seemed so real, not unlike the one he had of Arthur Weasley being attacked by a snake. Harry stirred his tea with a spoon, taking a sip then placing it back down on the table. He checked his new watch, the one he had received from Hermione as an early birthday present. Hermione Granger was in Portugal and had sent Harry his present early because she feared it wouldn't get past customs if she sent it the Muggle way, and she wanted to make sure Harry received it. Harry groaned, after turning the light back on again, and checking his watch he realised it was 1:45 in the morning. Harry wiped a tear from his cheek; he refused to believe what he had seen in his dream. It was impossible, Remus wouldn't…. not after all he had done and been through. Harry's mind slipped back to the Werewolf, deciding to write to Ron asking if he could stay for a while at the Burrow. He didn't want to return to 12 Grimmauld Place; it held too many memories. Finishing his tea he swirled the dregs in the bottom and looked deep inside, throwing the cup in the sink when he saw the Grim appear in the bottom.

* * *

_'Dear Ron,  
  
How are you? Have you heard from Fred and George recently? I wonder how their business is going. I need to tell you something important but I can't tell you in a letter. Would I be able to stay with you the Burrow for the remainder of the holidays? Being at the Dursleys is like enduring a twenty-four hour potions lesson  
  
Hope all is well,  
  
Speak soon,  
  
Harry.'  
_  
Ronald Weasley read the letter thoroughly before running down the stairs of the Burrow to his mum.  
  
"Mum!" Ron cried, jumping off the stairs, Mrs. Weasley turned to her youngest son, frightened.  
  
"Oh, don't scare me like that, Ronald, I thought you had fallen or something." She took her hands out of the washing up, "This better be important, I'm trying to talk to your father and Remus," Mrs. Weasley added.  
  
"It is mum; Harry wants to know if he can stay for the rest of the summer. The Dursleys are annoying him, and he wants to stay with us…" Ron said, excitedly. Remus and Mr. Weasley looked up from their positions set around the kitchen table.  
  
"Just annoying him, right, not… being cruel or horrid, right?" Arthur Weasley asked, concerned.  
  
"Just being annoying," his son confirmed. Remus nodded, "Well, I had better be off, Molly; Albus wants me at Grimmuald Place sharpish tomorrow morning." Remus said, stretching, he stood up from the table and turned to Ron. "Best you tell Harry to stay about another week at the Dursleys; he's staying there under Dumbledore's recommendation after all, I wouldn't like to say whether of not it would be…. wise to let him come yet. It's only been two and a half weeks maybe since the Holidays began."  
  
Remus then turned to Molly and Arthur.  
  
"It's best to leave it another week; we've got to make sure the magic's working…." Remus trailed off as he remembered Ron was present in the room.  
  
"Do you think I'm not responsible enough to tell Harry he can't come to stay?" Ron asked seriously.  
  
"It's not that Ron, believe me," Remus said, quickly, "I know you're responsible, but I just don't want you telling Harry he might be able to stay, it might get his hopes up too much." Remus ended, flatly.  
  
"What do you mean? Can he not stay then?" Ron asked defensively.  
  
"Well, yes and no. He might be able to stay…. But as me, Molly and Remus we're discussing we might need to leave the burrow soon." Arthur said, looking up at his son.  
  
"What? Why?" Ron asked, sliding down into a chair.  
  
"Because it might not be safe for us if….. You-know-who …. Found us, all our lives could be in danger, Ron; You-know-who might be planning to get rid of all the people closest to Harry." Arthur continued, rather sadly.  
  
"And if Harry came, dear, he would be in danger too." Molly added.  
  
"Where are we going? Grimmuald Place?" Ron asked excitedly.  
  
"I'm afraid not," Remus stated, "You'd be staying at Nymphadora Tonks' house for a while, up in Scotland."  
  
"Do we have to move then?"  
  
"Ronald! Have you not been listening to a word we said? Yes, we have to!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed.  
  
"And what about Fred and George?"  
  
"What about them, dear?"  
  
"Where would they stay after they finished setting up their business?" Molly pursed her lip and took her eyesight off of Ron.  
  
"What would happen?" Ron asked, angrily, standing up so quick the chair fell back.  
  
"You have all the right to be angry, Ron, but it really comes down to mine and your Mother's decision," Arthur said.  
  
"I can't believe you would chuck your own sons out!" Ron shouted, making towards the stairs again, "I better warn Ginny she might be next! Or maybe I should pack now, save the trouble." Ron yelled as Molly slid down in a seat, her eyes fixed on the kitchen door.

* * *

Presently, Ron heard shouts and the noise of something breaking. He knew the fight between his older twin brothers and his mum had started. He crept out of his room, carefully trying not to make a noise as he stood on the landing listening to the fight. No one needed Extendable Ears to hear this conversation.  
  
"**You can't throw us out**!" Fred's voice shouted.  
  
"We don't have enough Galleons to support a Grindylow!" George complained simultaneously. The sounds of Molly's cries could be heard from upstairs, even Ginny began to edge her way closer to her door to hear the racket.

"You're old enough now, and your _'business'_ is getting you enough money!" Molly shouted.  
  
Ron backed up against the wall as Fred and George marched past him and into their room. There was a clattering and the chant of a curse and Fred and George marched back out again, all their possessions packed away neatly.  
  
"We'll be seeing ya, lil' bro," Fred said to Ron.  
  
"Yeah, look after Mum, Ron, don't let that great git Percy get to her." George added. Ron nodded silently as he watched Fred and George dissaparate from sight with a little _pop_. Making his way back to his bedroom, Ron wondered where the twins had disaparated to...


	2. Remus' Mission

**Chapter Two **

_-Remus' Mission-_

* * *

Harry looked miserably out his window watching Dudley and Piers threaten Mark Evans again. If Harry could have done something he would of, not just for Mark's sake but just to teach Dudley to pick on someone his own size. Harry, then again, doubted there was anyone Dudley's size and age; the young teenager had progressed into an overweight whale within a matter of years. Undoubtedly this summer's holiday had been the worst Harry had ever experienced, maybe except from last year's, but Harry didn't have two deaths looming over him like a black cloud then. Harry could hear the voices of his Aunt and Uncle downstairs, helping Marge with her luggage. He didn't want to see Marge, after the last incident he doubted the Dursleys would care either. If they each kept out of the other's way no one would be blown up again. Harry remembered sourly why Cornelius Fudge, the Minister, had let him off for doing such a thing to a Muggle. It had been the fact Sirius Black had been on the loose that Harry had been let off. Fudge had thought Sirius was a stark raving lunatic like the rest of the Magical world did, or had, most now believed Sirius was innocent, which was more than Harry could say about a few certain individuals. Talking of stark raving lunatics, Harry wondered how Luna Lovegood's search for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks was going in Sweden. He would bet his Firebolt that if she did find any, which was highly unlikely, that Hagrid would buy a few within minutes of her return to Britain. Growling in anger he threw Ron's reply down onto his bed, his only route of escape from the Dursley's demolished in a matter of pure seconds.

"Remus thinks it's not safe…" he repeated under his breath. "Remus doesn't know what it's like to be trapped here; even Azkaban couldn't be this bad…" Harry said, knowing he didn't mean that last comment. He knew Azkaban was bad… as bad as you could get. According to many, they preferred death, and Harry didn't dare doubt them for a second, even Sirius had hated it there. It had destroyed him, and he had been in there for no reason, all because of Peter Pettigrew… Harry let his mind wander back to Remus. Why did he feel it wasn't safe? Did he want to keep Harry locked up and miserable? Harry reminded himself of last night's dream, shaking his head to rid him of the memory. By now, Harry's anticipation to get back to Hogwarts was declining, a bad feeling bubbled up inside of him. The feeling that he wanted nothing better than to crawl under his duvet and stay there for good and to have to never face the world again was tempting. All he had to do was skip the Hogwarts Express, simple as that. But the options were few, either stay with the Dursleys, who would send him away eventually, or go to Hogwarts and feel glum about returning to the dark and gloomy castle. Harry dreaded Potions and Transfiguration most; he couldn't bear to face a member of the Order yet. Harry was still, as some might call it, in the mourning phase for Sirius. Harry counted the owls he saw in the sky; three tonight, more than yesterday, most probably less than tomorrow. The amazement of the Lord Voldemort's return had disturbed the magical world; no doubt each of those owls contained the letters of fear and plea to family members. The world was now afraid that his return spelt certain doom for many. People were beginning to fear for the Ministers life now. Harry did smile to himself at this prospect; he didn't hate Cornelius as much as some said he should, he just felt the idea of the man who believed he was an utter liar quivering in his office somewhere up in London quite amusing. He had received no more than two dozen apology letters a day from wizards all over the world, saying how sorry they were not believing him when he said Voldemort had returned. Some of which he couldn't even read, because they consisted of French, Chinese and various other languages Harry did not understand either fluently or at all. Picking through some recent ones Harry slipped one open from a wizard up North. Holding it far away from him as he opened what he believed, and knew, to be a Howler. He covered his ears as the ear-splitting scream erupted from the open red letter.

**"YOU'RE A LIAR, HARRY POTTER, AND YOU KNOW IT. YOU KILLED HIM, HARRY; YOU DESERVE WHATEVER'S COMING TO YOU!"** The Howler then immediately burst into flames and withered on Harry's bed until Harry had the decency to remove it from his sight and into his trash can, which, by now, was full of fan mail, and now one piece of hate mail. That had to of been the most terrible thing anyone could of ever sent Harry, who proceeded in letting a silent tear drip off the end of his nose.

"I-I didn't kill him, I didn't," Harry said, exhausted; looking for anyone to point the blame at but himself. "It was Snape; he made me stop the Occulmency lessons, if he hadn't stopped... If I had tried harder… If Remus or Dumbledore had done something… If-if-if I'd of done something, if I'd tried harder to block Voldemort… maybe, just maybe…" Harry muttered to himself, pulling out a fan letter to reconcile himself.  
  
_'Dear Mr. H. Potter, I am deeply sorry for not believing your story of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return to power. I personally knew your mother and father; they were the nicest people I could have ever met. I met them when Lily had you, Harry; I remember her being opposite me in the Muggle Hospital before I was transferred to St. Mungos with some unknown magical curse placed upon me when I had my first child, Seamus. She had insisted that you be born in a Muggle hospital, and your father paced the room desperately for hours on end until they let him in; he then called all the people he knew, and soon enough there was some sort of little party going on opposite me. They, of course, made me join in the celebrations; I didn't refuse and remember quite well Sirius Black passing me a drink (non-alcoholic of course, for the baby's sake) when my water broke. In such of a double celebration when I had Seamus; but, upsettingly enough, my second child turned out to be non-magical. I am deeply sorry for your losses in your life, Harry; I can only hope that somehow this letter brings you some condolence with the little knowledge I supplied to you of your mother and father. I sincerely regret my doubt of you a year ago. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I was only wishing to hide from the truth._

_ Yours truly, _

_Mrs. T. Finnigan.'  
_  
Harry had to re-read the letter a couple times to make sure he wasn't dreaming, this letter was from Mrs. Finnigan, Seamus Finnigan's mother. She had known his parents, yet Seamus had never said anything… Harry could feel something else bubbling inside of him now, he felt so sure that the world was no longer against him. Gliding downstairs in a happy mood he stopped suddenly as he caught sight of Aunt Marge who was grumbling on about one of her dogs to Petunia. Harry sighed and helped himself to some bacon, over the moon that Aunt Marge had chosen to ignore him and he had her.

"The boy still going to that St. Brutus's place, Petunia?" Aunt Marge asked, curiously nodding her head in Harry's direction.

"Oh, erm, yes, Marge, we can't get him out of there, he's such an ungrateful boy…" Petunia said, unconvincingly; Harry was very surprised that Marge bought this excuse, but anything that had Harry being bad and punished in it was believable by Marge's standards.

"Yes, Petunia, I see what you mean, he's such an ungrateful little brat." Harry looked down at the bacon, put it back down on the counter and swept out of the room silently. As he passed Dudley's bedroom he could hear the whirl of a computer start up, or was that Dudley's new laptop? Dudley had insisted on getting a computer, he no longer needed to cry to get what he wanted; he got it either way. Harry knew Marge had brought Dudley something, he had heard her and Uncle Vernon talking about it early that day. It was something alive, he knew that; he hoped it wasn't a tortoise, what Dudley had done to the one he had before was pure crealty to animals. He walked into his room, his happy streak vanishing just as quick as it had appeared. He looked out his bedroom window and watched Hedwig swoop down towards him. Another Owl? From who? He stroked Hedwig as he took the letter off her and opened the envolope, which, as usual was addressed to _'Harry Potter'_. It was a letter from Nymphadora Tonks, from some distant place in Scotland. He opened it cautiously, sitting on his bed.  
  
_'Dear Harry, I got your last letter, Mad-Eye had it diverted to me. How are you? I've been okay, I've even got some visitors. The Weasley's are staying with me for a while, they are becoming quite accustomed to my father, Ted. Remus has come down to talk to Arthur before he leaves to do what Albus has told him to. Keep in touch, Tonks.'  
_  
Harry could of screamed, was Dumbledore telling Remus to go and be a Supporter? Maybe, he thought, maybe Remus was spying on them, like he had presumed Snape to of done. Harry smiled a little, why didn't he see that before? He looked at his bedside clock, it was only nine o'clock and he had nothing to amuse him. He took his coat from a hanger inside his closet, which four years ago he had been shoving a House elf in. He wondered what Hermione would of said if he had mentioned he had pushed Dobby in there, he just laughed at the thought and descended downstairs. He looked over at Petunia, who was sipping Coffee, and opened the door. He saw Petunia's horse-like neck turn and she watched him stride out the doorway. Harry walked down Privet Drive and into Magnolia Street. His coat, which was far too big as it had once belonged to Dudley, caught on an object as he wandered down the road. He turned to unravel it when he saw two gleaming eyes across the street. For a split second his mind jumped to the fact of it being a cat, then he came back to his senses and remembered what every year was like.

He unhooked his coat and ran, turning back once to see the owner of the gleaming eyes following him quickly. He was breathing heavily and felt a stitch in his side as he stumbled, regaining his balance he could see the creature out of the corner of his eye now, on the other side of the road. He kept thinking 'someone's going to see it and it'll all be revealed.' He ran into the park and closed the gate, hoping it would atleast bide him some time. The creature vaulted over the iron mesh easily and Harry swore inward. He ran through the river and stopped, on the other side was Piers Polkiss and Dudley's gang, but he didn't have time for them, but they were still human and he didn't want them to get hurt. He ran up the bank and stopped infront of Piers.

"Look, I know you'll probably think I'm off my rocker, but there's this giant animal chasing me back there." Harry pointed, "if you stay here you'll be hurt." Piers exchanged glances with his mates and laughed.

"You're right, you **ARE** off your rocker." Piers smirked, his smile quickly fell away as he noticed something on the other side of the bank. He swore himself and he and Dudley's gang turn and ran, just as Harry looked behind him and felt something almost slice his back in two. Swearing he ran after the rest, the beast so hot on his tail it was unbelievable. Harry reconised the road to be Privet Drive now, he had ran all the way home without relising it. He ran to the door of number 4 and rapped hard on it. The door opened and Harry rushed past Petunia and slammed the door shut. His aunt let a scream out as she saw the blood on Harry's back.

"What happened boy?" Vernon asked roughly.

"Something attacked me." Harry replied, holding a tissue to his back.

"My sweet little Maisy is out there too!" Marge almost dropped her coffee mug. "I must find her!"

"Don't be absurd Marge, you'll be killed if this 'thing' that attacked the boy is still out there." Vernon said, trying to stand infront of Marge. Marge, although reluctantly, fell back on the sofa.

"I have to be careful of her, Vernon, ever since she was bitten I have to look after her." Marge muttered, shivering as she sipped her coffee.

"Sorry?" Harry asked, "She, she was bitten?" He asked.

"That is what I said boy." Marge said angerily. A shiver ran through Harry, had Maisy been the creature that had attacked him?

"Vernon, I do hate to say it but that cut looks deep, we should take him to the hospital, else it'll get the Neighbours talking." Petunia said, slowly. Vernon growled and grabbed his coat.

"I'm staying here," Dudley said, almsot at once, his eye's fixed to the T.V.

"Alright duddykins, we won't be long." Petunia cooed at her son and walked out the room, Vernon pushed Harry along by his shoulder.

"What are we going to tell them boy? You were attacked by a ruddy magical animal that doesn't exist?"

"No," Harry said, "We're going to tell them that-" He stopped as he heard a 'pop' behind him. He turned round to see Mad-Eye Moody and Arthur Weasley standing before him. Vernon stuttered and let Harry walk before him.

"What's happened Harry?" Arthur asked. "I, I was attacked." Harry replied, rather shocked at the suddenness of this all. He was still holding out the tissue spotted with blood.

"By what, Potter?" Mad-Eye asked.

"Excuse me, would you mind getting out of my house?" Vernin asked, loudly, but his comment went unnoticed.

"I, I think it was a werewolf." Harry said.

"The cuts do look like a werewolves claws, Alastor." Arthur said.

"There isn't many werewolves around Surrey, Arthur, let alone ones that would go out at ten o'clock." Mad-Eye replied, his magic eye turning to see the clock on the mantle.

"It's a full moon," Harry said, "and it had all the features of a werewolf."

"Maybe he should talk to Remus about this, Alastor." Arthur said, Mad-Eye replied with only gruff. "Go collect your stuff Harry, we'll talk to your aunt and uncle." Harry nodded and walked upstairs slowly to get his trunk and some clothes. He dreaded coming face-to-face with Remus, after his dream, it only seemed talking to him would be more tribulation rather than a solution. But he was desprate to escape the Dursleys, so, even reluctantly, he packed his clothes as Mr Weasley had instructed and again made his way down the stairs. Uncle Vernon was looking very apprehensive at having two full grown wizards armed with wands in his house, and was blocking Dudley from view. Dudley, who was in the living room with Marge, hadn't realised anything was going on in the hall.

"Well, we'll be off," Arthur said, smiling and leading Harry away from the stairway and opening the door.

"Are we going by Knight Bus?" Harry asked, as Mr Weasley hustled him to the door.

"Yes, yes." Arthur replied, "You don't know how to apparate so the Knight Bus it will be, right Alastor?" Moody nodded, and with a last sneer at the Dursleys, exited Number 4 Privet Drive too.

"Won't Lupin be a werewolf?" Harry asked suddenly, as Arthur stuck out his wand.

"Well, yes, but all the same, you can talk to him tommorow morning." Arthur replied as the Knight Bus jolted to a stop infront of the trio. "On you get Harry." Harry stepped on the purple bus, feeling rather queasy at the prospect of being on the bus.

"Look Ernie, it's 'arry Potter." Stan started, but Harry looked up and Stan Shunpike, the Knight Bus conductor, fell silent. "Where ta then Mr Potter?"

"Er... I'm not too sure..." Harry began, but Moody jumped in.

"To Malunovo Mansion, Scotland." Moody growled, passing enough money to pay for the three of them.

"I'll pay for myself," Harry began, but upon checking his money wallet he found he was all out of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. "Oh."

"It's alright, Potter, I'm paying." Moody said roughly, he started towards the end of the Bus, Mr Weasley and Harry close in tow. "Are we going to the second deck?" Harry asked, he'd only ever been on the first and third floor of the Bus, personally he didn't feel it was entierly safe to be up high.

"Yeah," Moody said, not looking back, "Hope you got life insurance, Potter, it's going to be a hell of a ride." Harry smirked weakly. He made his way to the second floor of the bus, already feeling the buses jolts as it speed off towards Scotland. He found no one else on the bus, unless they had been foolish enough to hide on the top level. Quite sooner than Harry had expected they arrived. Moody again infront and Arthur bringing up the rear... the idea of that formation struck Harry's mind as a defence one. Was Moody expecting an attack? Harry just reminded himself of Moody's paranoia and stepped off the bus. I was chilly indeed in the Scottish Highlands. He wondered if they were far from Hogwarts. There was a rather large castle looming infront of him,not as big as Hogwarts itself of course. A woman with tomato red hair as long as her shoulders rushed over, it was Tonks.

"Wotcher Harry!" She smiled, shaking his hand. She ushered Harry inside and handed him a hot chocolate. Inside the house was full of old antiques, quite eccentric orniments come to that. A silver rod that puffed smoke just like the one in Dumbledore's office sat on the mantle. A large green, somewhat poisonious looking, frog croaked away in a Tank besides what Harry could only hope was a extremly mutated fish. Tonks hurried over to the Frog, almost tripping on a strange walking stick with a handle shaped like a griffin head which was laying discarded on the floor. "I'll be right with you Harry," Tonks muttered, as she fed the extremly large fish to the frog. Harry had seen a lot of disgusting things before, including a Hippogriff eating dead ferrets, but this topped them all. The frog, which swelled to the size of three fists, crunched up the fish happily. Tonks seemed thoroughly disgusted as well.

"Not an at all pleasemt job!" There was a gaint crash from upstairs and Tonk sighed, "We haven't seen Severus for weeks, only he can make us the Wolvesbane potion for Remus, poor chaps been having a lot of stife recently. He can't evem keep a clear head anymore, a great werewolf with a mind of it's own. Dumbledore needs him for a mission but were waiting untill he can get hold of some of the potion." She explained, sitting down and watching the frog cautiously.

"You haven't seen Snape for how long?" Harry asked.

"_Professor Snape,_ Harry, we haven't seen him for a good couple of weeks. Dumbledore didn't send him on a mission or anything, the whole Order's getting worried."

"Because he is spying on Voldemort for us?" Harry asked, without thinking.

"Goodness no, Harry, where on earth did you get that idea from?" The door opened and a red haired boy smiled over at Harry.

"Being told all about Snape's doings without me?" he asked, grinning.

"I'm not telling him anything about _Professor _Snape," Tonks said, looking romotely amused at Ron. Harry smiled at his best friend and then found himself unable to escape from a big hug from Molly Weasley.

"Oh, Harry, I've been out of my mind with worry." she said, standing back and looking at him. "My, you've grown!"

"It's only been a couple of weeks mum!" Ron complained, watching Harry get squashed with muffled laughter.

"I'm not interupting now am I?" a soft voice asked, Harry turned to the newcomer.

"No, of course not Pandora. Harry, this is Pandora Hevil, she's the one making Remus' new potion."

"Good evening Mr Potter, may I just express how much of a pleasure it is to meet you!" She shook Harry's hand and smiled at him. She was a thin woman, with chessnut hair and a mysterious smile that played on her face. Harry gasped as he shook hands with her, his scar flitted with pain and he pulled his hand away quick. Her smile faded, leaving her face with a cold look. "I'm sorry, is there something wrong?" She asked, coldly.

"No, sorry, I just... remembered something." Harry replied, frowning.

"Oh, alright." Pandora eyed him carefully, as if sizing him up for a battle, "yes, well, I am sure Remus would like that potion as soon as possible, best not dely it."

"Of course not Pandora." Molly smiled, as Pandora turned and left the room. "She's alright really, just a white sheep in a black flock." Molly said, after she had left. Harry considered these words very carefully indeed.

"Indeed, Molly, keep telling yourself that." Tonks said, clearing the table.

"I'm with Tonks on this one mum, she's odd." Ron said, looking to Harry for support. Harry kept quiet, he didn't want anyone, least of all Molly, knowing what had felt.

"Well... Remus trusts her entirely, and if he does, I see no reason why we shouldn't." Molly said, and the case was settled at that. Ron and Tonks exchanged looks of worry, but nothing more was said. That wasn't right, Harry thought, if Lupin is a DeathEater and he trusts Pandora, that must she's a... He stopped himself and shook his head. There was still no clear evidence of what Remus was up to. There was another howl of a wolf and a bang. Tonks yawned widely and walked to the door.

"Come on Harry, I'll show you your room." Ron said, walking out. Harry followed, however reluctantly and picked up his trunk.

"Leave it, the house elf with get it." Ron commented, Harry was glad Hermione was not around to hear that. He just nodded and followed Ron up a creaky set of stairs. "So... were you really attacked by a werewolf?"

"No, it was a helpless cat that put inches deep cut into my back." Harry said agitatedly. Ron frowned and thought that subject too was best left untouched.

* * *

The next day Harry found himself being jolted awake by none other than Tonks. Her hair was lavander today and came down to her ears.

"Keep it down, I thought you might enjoy a little trip to Daigon Alley, I need to go and get Remus' potion anyway." She pulled him out of bed and told him to put on some Muggle Clothes. As if Harry would go in anything that would attract Muggle attention, he thought Tonks' hair was more likely to do that anyway. He didn't express his feelings to Tonks but just calmly changed while he presumed she was talking to Remus. He came out dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and found Remus and Tonks in heavy conversation outside his bedroom door. He coughed to announce his arrival and Remus said a hurried good morning and left for downstairs.

"Why aren't we all at Grimmuald Place?" Harry asked Tonks as they walked together down the stairs after Remus.

"Well, Dumbledore thought it was best if we kept out of the Orders way, I go back every couple of days with Arthur. Mad-eye left early this morning to go back, he doesn't live here." She explained as another door on the top landing opened, Tonks looked up the spiral staircase. A man in his mid-fourties stepped out, looking very tired.

"Good morning, Nymphadora." The man smiled, he had dark brown hair and grey-blue eyes. He was wearing a tartan dressing gown, and he was peering over the banisters.

"Wotcher pa." Tonks said, "Call me Tonks, pa, how many times do I have to ask you?" she asked. The man just shrugged, looking very tired.

"I'm not too sure, third time this week right?" He shuffled off to a bathroom.

"That's my pa, Ted Tonks. He's a Muggle, he got a big suprise when all these magical folk started appearing in his house, shocked the life out of him," Tonks explained. Harry doubted anything could shock the life out of Ted, he looked as eccentric as his house posessions. After a quick breakfast of toast Harry and Tonks started to make their way to a fireplace; they were travelling by Floo Powder it seemed. Remus was looking extremly pale, Harry noted, he also had quite a few cuts and bruises on him. The importence of this potion suddenly came to Harry's mind, and whether or not Remus was on their side or anothers it still bothered him to see him like this.

Tonks stepped in the fireplace first and muttered: "Monyash Potions!" She dissapeared and Molly Weasley passed Harry some Floo Powder.

"Now, dear, the shop is called Monyash Potions, say it clearly." She said, giving him a hug so some Floo Powder fell from his hand.

"Let him breath mum." Ron said, eating some toast at the kitchen table, "why can't I go too?" Molly ignored him and hurried Harry along.

"Monyash Potions!" Harry said, as clearly as he could with ash and soot going up his nose and in his mouth. He dropped the powder and felt himself fall into the fireplace of somewhere new. The place looked dark and dingy and for a split second Harry thought he'd landed in Knockturn Alley again but Tonks was waiting for him by the side of the Fireplace.

"Come on now," she said, pulling him up. Harry glanced around the shop, at the side of the counter was a yellow parrot. He walked towards it and frowned, but Tonks grabbed his arm and swung him round. "Be careful with the animals you choose to associate yourself with, Harry. It may look harmless, but is it?" Tonks asked, she watched the parrot with a cautious gaze. Harry followed it, the parrot was growing, it was getting bigger... Within seconds it was a full size human, the man smiled at Tonks.

"Very good, Ms Tonks, I see Auror Training did improve your ability to stop curiosity getting to you." The man said, in a way Harry could only interpret was a insult.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Mr Monyash. Now... we want a talk with Pandora, she owes us some Wolvesbane Potion." Tonks said, with an uncharacteristically scowl.

"Ah, so tell me, which one of you is the werewolf?" Mr Monyash asked.

"Well, it's not me and I think it would of sprang out all over the papers if it was Harry." Tonks replied, not looking too happy.

"Yes, yes, of course. Sit down, have a drink," Mr Monyash offered, conjouring two chairs. Harry refused a drink greatfully, but Tonks didn't. Harry wondered what Moody would of said then, but decided Tonks knew enough to keep herself from being hurt.

"Lovely drink, Mr Monyash, very refreshing, what do you call it?" she asked, in slight awe.

"Senlli, absolute terror to pronounce." The man replied, as a thin woman with chessnut coloured hair apparated at the counter with a _'pop'_.

"Afternoon Mr Monyash." she smiled, then seeing Harry and Tonks, "Good afternoon Mr Potter, Ms Tonks. I see you've found our Senlli drink, lovely stuff if I do say so myself. Are you sure you won't take any Mr Potter?" Harry now become much more convinced the drink was a poison; and so, it seemed, had Tonks, who dropped the cup and stood up.

"Are you trying to poison us?" she asked angerily. Pandora looked hurt, but also frowned.

"Ms Tonks, how dare you accuse me of such behaviour, I think that's ill behaviour coming from someone who is an Auror in Knockturn Alley." Harry raised his eyebrows, so they were where he had thought they were.

"_Ill behaviour?_" Tonks asked, angerily. "Just give me this Potion we've ordered so we can leave." Pandora sighed, "There you go Ms Tonks," she passed her a smoking potion in a blue vial and smiled. "Have a nice day."

* * *

Harry came down later that evening to sounds of dry retching, he frowned. They were coming from the living room. He looked in to find a pale looking Remus sitting in an armchair in deep thought, a worried looking Molly comforting a sick looking Tonks who was throwing up in a bucket. It was an extraordinary sight, no doubt in the least.

"Harry, dear, could you go fetch me some more tissue?" Molly asked him, rubbing Tonks' back. She was eyeing her wand, as if fighting with herself to use magic to stop Tonks throwing up. Remus saw this and shifted uneasily.

"I think she may of been slipped a potion that done this, Molly, if she has I think only the solution would be to find the reversal." Molly looked solumn, but nodded. Harry could hear more talking and retching as he walked to the toilet. He remembered the potion Mr Monyash had offered him, and how Tonks had reacted, and how Pandora had said it had been 'Ill Behaviour'. She had given them the potion, she had poisoned Tonks.

"Mrs Weasley," Harry began, passing her some more tissue, "I think Ms Hevil, Pandora, poisoned Tonks."

"Don't be absurd Harry, Pandora Hevil wouldn't do such a thing." Molly replied.

"I knew Pandora from school, Harry, she was two years above. She was a great potionmaker, and she may of been a Slytherin, but she would never poison anyone. She was most useful to those he needed extra help in Potions." Remus explained, looking up from his position in the armchair.

"But when we went to the Potions Shop, Mr Monyash offered us something called- well, I can't actually remember how to pronounce it- I didn't drink it, but Tonks did. If she was poisoned by a Potion as you think," he said, talking to Remus, "it would of been that."

"Foolery!" A gruff voice said, from behind Harry. It was Mad-eye Moody, who looked very angry with Tonks indeed. "I thought you would of known better, Nymhpadora."

Tonks opened her mouth to complain but she couldn't make it, she just retched again.

"To take a potion off someone who clearly dislikes us all, it was playing straight into the hands of Voldemort."

"Now hold on there Mad-eye, we have no proof Pandora's working with Voldemort, or if it was even Pandora that done this." Remus said.

"I appreciate the defense on Pandora's part, Remus, I should of known you would of tried to defend her, being a friend and all. But it's all too obvious." Harry felt know was the time to accuse Remus.

"But you would know who's innocent and not wouldn't you? Being not so innocent yourself, right?" Harry asked, cutting in. Molly turned to frown at him, along with Tonks.

"I beg your pardon Harry." Remus asked, looking very confused.

"Don't play dumb, I've seen you, I saw you and Wormtail in that graveyard. I saw you both, you were talking like old friends."

"Harry, dear, are you feeling alright?" Molly asked. Harry didn't reply, he couldn't seem to find and adequate response. Remus' eyes were full of what Harry could plainly see was hurt.

"Harry, do you ever think I'd do such a thing after what happened-"

"Don't talk to me about 'what's happened'." Harry said, seeing red.

"Potter, see here, Remus is not a Voldemort Supporter and you-" Mad-eye began.

"I've seen him with Wormtail, Pettigrew, in a graveyard, I've seen him!"

"Harry, how did you see this dear?" Molly asked. "I saw it in a dream, well, a vision sort of thing."

Remus gasped, "I knew Severus should never of given up that Occulemency on you." Harry frowned, was this a confession? "Then you wouldn't of seen things that aren't real."

"This was real enough, this was just like the one with Mr Weasley and that snake!" Harry has noticed Ginny, Ron and even Ted Tonks had made their way downstairs to see what the commotion was. "You're all blind, he's sticking up for this Pandora whose clearly poisoned Tonks and all you can do is sit there and pretend you don't know what's going on!" Harry walked out of the room and upstairs to his shared bedroom and slammed the door hard. Why did no one believe him? Why was no one on his side? He expected Ron to come up any minute then to tell him he backed him a hundred percent, but an hour passed and no one came. He expected it was dinner time downstairs and felt his tummy calling for food, but he didn't want to go downstairs and face them all, not yet...


	3. The Surprise

**Chapter Three**

_-The Surprise-_

Harry expected Ron to come up during the night but when he woke the next morning the bed next to his was still made from the day before. He was sleepy and tired; his hair was a mess, it stuck out everywhere, it was worse than usual. His mind went back to Pandora Hevil, he was certain now she was a Death Eater, there could be no doubt about it. His scar had tried to warn him when he'd shaken hands with her. He'd just passed it off as a normal twinge but now he knew different, and if the others couldn't see his way then maybe it'd be best if he stayed out of everyone's way. Remus was tired from his change and Tonks was ill, so he'd easily avoid them, but Mrs Weasley created more of a problem.

Harry had been so wrapped up with thinking about Pandora he almost forgot that he was officially sixteen now; his birthday was today. His tummy began to rumble as he got dressed, pulling on his jeans and a t-shirt. The door suddenly flew open and Mrs weasley entered, holding a tray of food.

"Good morning, Harry," she grinned, broadly, she was acting like yesterday had never happened. She put the tray laden with food on the dressing table and flung the curtains open so the sun streamed in. Harry squinted in the sunlight as Mrs Weasley passed him his breakfast. "Thought you might like a breakfast in bed," she smiled. Harry interpreted this as a nice way of saying 'thought you might want to stay out the others way a bit'.

"Thanks Mrs Weasley, but I'm not really hungry, I think I might just go for a walk outside or something," he lied, getting up and searching the room for his coat.

"Oh, alright then," Mrs Weasley smiled still, holding Harry's coat out. He took it gladly, then looked at the gaping slash it had in the back of it. "Oh, don't worry dear, I can fix that in a flash." Mrs Weasley smiled, taking out her wand. She waved it and blue light made the split in the coat seal itself together again. Harry thanked her again and put the coat on, he instantly felt warmer and suddenly realised the coldness of the old castle. "Don't be too long will you?" Molly asked, as he walked for the door. "We're having Pandora over for lunch."

Harry looked back at her, opening his mouth to reply but instead he nodded and left, walking down the stairs, avoiding the dellusional Ted Tonks and heading for the big castle doors, much like the ones Hogwarts had. It was a fine day outside, though still chilly. Harry could see the moors, mist lingering over them. Large mountains blocked his view of anything else, but he did see someone walking across the moors, a bouncy sheepdog at their side. He moved swiftly towards them, to get a better look of a object the dog had in it's mouth.

The black and white collie bounded up to Harry, dropping the white ball at his feet. Harry peered at it closer, it resembled a prophecy. The owner of the dog put their foot on the ball and Harry looked up into the bright blue eyes of Pandora Hevil.

"Good boy," she patted the dog on the head, which it didn't seem to enjoy, and picked up the ball with a silk gloved hand. "Good afternoon Harry," she said softly, a smile playing on her face. "I didn't think we'd see each other again quite so quickly."

Harry looked at the woman with utter dislike, he was so close to her now he could smell her perfume; it was a sweet cinnimon flavour. Her chessnut hair fell gracefully down to her shoulders, although it seemed she'd been through a stressful time to mantain it's beauty.

"What did you do to Tonks?" he blurted out, his anger rising.

"I told you, I have done nothing to Nymphadora Tonks, whatever trouble or danger she has got herself into is none of my doing or my business," Pandora held the glass ball in between long red nails, she was impatiently moving it lightly from hand-to-hand. "Now, I'm sorry to interupt your interagation, but I have places to go and people to see, a life to live."

Harry watched as she walked past him, her cinnimon perfume still lingering in the air. The black collie ran after it's mistress, bounding happily. Harry turned to her and walked after her, trying to catch her up; she was walking at a fast pace.

"Don't lie, I know that potion made her sick," he exclaimed, angerily.

"Oh, so Tonks is ill is she?" Pandora asked, avoiding Harry's comment. "Poor girl, perhaps I should take her a potion to clear it up."

Harry had only felt this anger and dislike towards two other people before, Voldemort and Umbridge. He was certain that Pandora had poisoned Tonks, he was so certain he would of been willing to bet his life on it.

"Stop it," he growled, "stop lying!"

"Harry, if I had time for this I might just sit down and watch paint dry, it intrests me just about as much as this conversation does. I did not poison Tonks, now can you accept you're wrong for once before someone gets hurt." Pandora snapped at him, walking away to Malunovo Mansion. Harry let her walk on, deciding it best not to follow her this time. He wandered off over a field and climbed over a fence into another field. He looked up as he saw something that brought a smile to his face, two children throwing a Quaffle to each other. Any normal teenagers favourite sport might of been football or basketball, but Harry's was by far Quidditch. He was Seeker for the Gryffindor team.

He approached the two children cautiously, they weren't too far from the ground and desended to talk to Harry.

"Hey, I know you, you're Harry Potter," the girl said, she looked the youngest.

"Yeah, he knows that Maria," the boy snapped; Harry recognised him as Euan Abercrombie, a Gryffindor, just about to enter his second year at Hogwarts.

"Hi," Harry said, awkwardly to the two. "I, er, better leave you to your game of Quidditch," he turned to leave but Euan caught his wrist.

"No, come on, stay, play Chaser or Keeper for us," Euan begged as Harry turned to face the boy.

"I've never tried playing those positions before but... I guess I'll give it a try," Harry said, happy to be playing Quidditch again.

"You can borrow Jack's broom, he's our brother; he's out with my mum picking up my school supplies." Euan informed Harry.

"Have the lists already arrived then?" Harry asked, wondering if his had arrived at Malunovo Mansion yet.

"Oh no, she just went to buy me a new set of robes, my others were getting too small," Euan explained, handing Harry a Cleansweep broom. "I know it's nothing like your Firebolt but it's the best we've got." Harry took the broom, happy to be off his Firebolt for once; it sort of brought back a lot of unwanted memories.

Soon enough he was soaring in the sky, playing Keeper for the two children. He blocked a couple of their shots but the young girl, Maria, was a pretty good thrower and he let most of hers in. He felt the wind on his face as he made a spectular dive to grab the Quaffle, flying back up he chucked it over to Maria who hit it back and scored a goal.

"Ha, see, I'm better than you Euan," she bragged, flying over to her brother and smirking.

"You might of scored more but you've also dropped more," he pointed out; Harry thought this was very true, Maria was quite the butterfingers.

Harry checked his watch, it was almost half past two now, he'd been playing for hours.

"I've got to go now Euan," Harry told the boy as he floated to the ground and stepped off the broom. "My friend's mum wants me in early for a lunch we're having with a friend..."

"Hold on, I thought you lived with a couple of Muggles in London," Maria asked, as she too floating down to solid ground.

"Er, I do, but I'm staying with my friends for a while, thanks for the game," Harry didn't feel like explaining anymore and he turned to go.

"So you really were attacked by a Werewolf?" Euan asked, his voice of horror. "Were you scared?"

Harry turned around again, "how do you know I was attacked?" he asked, urgently.

"It's all over the Daily Prophet, The Great Harry Potter Attacked By Werewolf; some are suggesting it was that teacher you had in your third year, Lupin." Euan replied.

Harry didn't take in the fact people were accusing Remus, but he did take in that it was all over the Daily Prophet. Hadn't Dumbledore put a stop to all that?

"I've- I've really got to go," he walked off, in surprise and shock, back to Malunovo Mansion. When he reached the cold castle with it's over-the-top decorated hallways and strange orniments he walked into the living room. Tonks was lying on the sofa whilst Mrs Weasley held a wet flannel to her head.

"Hello dear, you're just in time," she smiled, "Pandora offered to make lunch, isn't that nice?" she asked. Harry didn't reply, he did, however, make a mental note not to eat any food Pandora made, incase he was poisoned.

"Why am I on the front of the Daily Prophet?" he asked, angerily.

"Are you?" Tonks asked weakly, "I thought it was all about the death of that Barty Crouch."

"That was yesterdays, Nymphadora," Mrs Weasley said, sympathetically. It looked like Tonks couldn't even tell one day from the other now.

"Yes, Harry, I was going to ask the same question," Pandora's chilling voice asked, Harry turned as he smelt the distinct smell of cinnimon in the room. "_Are_ you on the cover?" She held up the Daily Prophet with her fingers, on the front was a picture of the Azkaban fortress. Harry read the caption at top speed, 'Arachne Bagshot is let out of Azkaban half a year early'.

"Who's-" he began, but Pandora cut in.

"She was in top security at Azkaban, she was in for murdering 11 Muggles randomly; she's a huge Voldemort supporter, but not a Death Eater." Harry tried to detect even a little of dissapointment in Pandora's voice, but her tone was unnaturally emotionless. "She's Bathilda Bagshots only daughter; Bathilda as in the author."

Harry looked at the photo of the woman, there was a comparision one from 16 years before hand; the woman's eyes had lost their shine and her hair looked course and dry now.

"She looks..." he was lost for words, the woman looked hideous.

"Disgusting, isn't she?" Pandora asked, putting the paper on the table and looking up at Harry. "Do you believe you're not in the paper now?"

"Yes but a boy I know called Euan said I was in today's Daily Prophet, supposedly there was an artical about me being attacked by the Werewolf." Harry explained, his mind still half on Arachne and her haunting face.

"Do you really think Albus would allow that to be put across the nation?" Mrs Weasley asked, "he couldn't have that infomation about you leaking out."

Harry frowned, although thankful he wasn't on the front cover he wondered how Euan had known about the attack.

"Hey Harry, I didn't think you were ever coming back mate," Ron joked as he came into the room. "I got a letter from Hermione," he held up a piece of paper and passed it to Harry.

_'Dear Ron and Harry (if you are there),_

_How are you? You would never believe how incredible Portugal is, although the heat is almost unbearable. What is the weather like over there? Have I missed anything? Did Hagrid owl you the good news? Professor Dumbledore got someone to fill Defence Against the Dark Arts position. I hope they actually know how to teach._

_Love,_

_Hermione.'_

Harry finished the letter and looked up at Ron, "did she send anything else? Was this all?"

"That's all, it's a bit short and I haven't replied to her yet," Ron said, sitting down on a chair, "she asked a lot of questions, she wasn't very clear was she?" he asked. Tonks groaned and pulled the flannel off her head, Mrs Weaskey rushed to push her down again but she stopped her.

"No, Molly, I'm alright," she told her, standing up weakly. "Harry, I think I can expand on what Hermione said."

"No, Tonks, we've talked about this, he's not meant to know until-" Molly began.

"Until when Molly? When he's back at Hogwarts and finding out for himself? When he's angry at us for keeping something else from him? Come on Molly, I don't care what Albus _thinks _is right; when has Albus ever been totally correct with what he tells and doesn't tell Harry?" she asked, not waiting for a reply. "Your new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor is Pandora, Harry." Tonks said, somberly.

Both Ron and Harry gaped at the woman with chessnut hair, her cool, calm blue eyes flickering to look at Tonks once before looking back at the two boys.

"I hope it doesn't come as too much as a surprise; you're a bright boy Harry, I thought you might of figured it out," she told him cooly. Harry was speechless, he could barely endure being in the same room as Pandora, he couldn't possibly have her teaching him! "You're a very bright boy," she continued. Harry didn't comprehend what Pandora said, he was still in shock . "I think I better be going now Molly."

Pandora was heading for the door when she was met by a very tired looking, pale Remus Lupin.

"Ah, Remus," Pandora said, her smile reforming, "You're up," she met his tired eyes with her own and then brushed lightly past him.

"What- what happened?" Remus asked, looking around the faces of the people in the room.

"Tonks told Harry and Ron... about Pandora being their new Professor." Molly explained, "Harry, Ron, you have to understand; Pandora is a very exprienced witch, she can teach a lot."

Ron snorted, "exprienced with what? Preforming Dark Magic on Muggles?" he asked.

"See here Ron-" Remus began, as Tonks grabbed her bucket again and rushed to the bathroom. The big wooden doors of Malunovo Mansion slammed as Pandora left, waking the gaint frog up from it's sleep.

Ted Tonks made his way into the room and dropped a large looking fish into the tank, the frog returned to being quiet as it chewed on the fish.

"Did you see the papers about Bagshot, Molly?" Remus asked, desprate to change the subject.

"Oh yes, quite surprising really; how did she work her way out?" Mrs Weasley replied, not daring to look at the fish in fear she might be joining Tonks in the bathroom.

"Convinced them she was innocent and was under the Imperius curse at the time," Remus replied, as Ron and Harry sat down, Harry eager to hear of Arachne Bagshot's bail. "Naturally half of them believed her, her mother is high up." Harry saw Molly shake her head and make a disgusted face.

"This Arachne get's out of Azkaban half a year early for lying and-" Molly glanced awkwardly at Harry, who pretended to have taken an intrest in a pattern on the rug. He looked up afterwards to see Remus looking a little downcast too. Tonks returned, looking just as pale and worn out as Remus himself. She took a seat by Ron, who edged away a little.

"Oh don't be a baby Ron, I'm not contagious," she said, a little hurt, she gave a little cough as Ron stood up and left, Harry gave an awkward glance and headed after him.

"Come on Tonks, I think it's best if you get off to bed," Molly began, reaching out and touching Tonks' arm lighty.

"No, I'm fine, besides, I have my own story about Arachne Bagshot," she said, looking paler by the minute. Harry then grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him back, listening silently. Remus and Molly exchanged worried glances; Molly looked back and was silent, waiting for Tonks to start.. "Right," the metamorphamagus began, looking around as if she was a small child stealing from the cookie jar. "Everyone knows Bagshot was in high security, so obviously she met and talked with others in high security, across the cells of course." Tonks continued as Harry frowned at Ron then Tonks spoke up again, "Sirius told me about her." Remus looked up now, imensly intrested. "Sirius said she turned mad; completely, she told him all about her friend who'd got her framed. Nobody liked her there, she made up the most terrible lies." Tonks tone lowered so Harry and Ron had to strain to hear her, "she wanted Sirius to get her revenge because she was too weak to do it herself..."

Ron shook his head, "she should of pleaded insane, right Harry...?" He turned round but Harry was gone, he had dissapeared up the stairs silently. He was now sat on his bed thinking carefully.

"She tried to convince Sirius to murder," Harry said, lightly, as he heard Ron come into the room. Ron looked awkward, this wasn't his area of expertise; he wished Hermione was here.

"But he didn't," he said, eventually, and Harry looked up, "he didn't murder anyone." Ron didn't really understand why Harry was feeling so upset, he doubted Harry knew exactly why either.

"He never mentioned Bagshot to Remus... why would he do that?" Harry continued.

"I- I dunno mate," Ron replied, as he looked out the window as the sun set slowly, shading the walls of the room orange. "But I'm positive Sirius had his reasons."

* * *

Harry woke before Ron the next morning, he looked over at his friend who was tossing on his bed and smiled. Getting himself up and heading for the bathroom he met Ted Tonks, the eccentric man was smiling at Harry as he met him on the landing.

"So you're Harry Potter then?" Ted asked, "surprising how you can stay in someone's house yet not meet them for three days."

"Er, yeah," Harry said, rather sceptically, "I saw you when you were feeding that frog... what is it?" Harry asked, curious to unravel the mystery of the large frog.

"Ah, that's Nymphadora's pet Amphibius, vicious creatures. Can swallow a dog whole," Ted added. Harry didn't press into how Ted knew the frog could eat a whole dog. "They're a recent magical discoveries, people usually keep them for inhumane ways of de-gnoming."

"Does-" Harry began, but Ted cut in almost instantly.

"No, Nymphadora keeps it as a pet; she's rather fond of gnomes." Ted replied.

"Right. Well, thanks, they're extraordinary creatures, really." Harry was saved by Mrs Weasley hurrying up the stairs.

"Harry dear, your presents are downstairs," Molly smiled, taking Harry's arm as Ron rushed down after them.

"My- my presents?" Harry asked, forgetting yesterday was his birthday. He reached the kitchen, where Tonks set off a party streamer over his head as she stood infront of a large banner.

"Happy 16th Birthday... Harry," Harry read, a big smile on his face as Tonks gave him a hug. He suspected why they had gone to so much trouble for him, but to be honest, he felt appreciated. He looked around the kitchen, almost the whole of the Order had turned out; save Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore. Infront of him on the pine table was a pile of presents, bigger than Harry had ever recieved. He was about to thank them when Mrs Weasley stepped away and Hermione rushed out to hug him.

"Hermione!" Harry said, shocked. "I thought you were in Portugal!"

"I was but when Mrs Weasley sent the owl that they were throwing you a party I had to come!" Hermione smiled broadly. "I wouldn't of missed it for anything." Harry pulled the streamer off his head and smiled back at the grinning faces.

"Come on then," Ron laughed, "open your presents!" Harry smiled and took a seat at the table, opposite him was Remus, in a small party hat. Harry felt more happy than he had been for a long while, everyone had helped orginising the party. He guessed that was what Tonks and Remus had been talking about in low whispers a few days before. Harry reached for the first present, neatly wrapped; it was from Tonks. He opened it carefully, even with Ron's constant talk he should be opening faster.

He smiled broadly at the book on Dark Arts, he thanked Tonks as Ted put his arm around his daughters shoulder. He reached for the next; from all the Weasleys. Inside was a large box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and and a box of Honeydukes Best Chocolates. He looked at the next one, it was from Remus. He looked up once or twice as he opened it, finally doing so and looking inside. Inclosed was a gold quill, he frowned at first then looked at the quill more carefully, the feather was that of a Pheonix's. There wasn't any ink with the quill, as Harry would've expected. He wrote his name on the back of his hand, at first nothing appeared but Remus instructed Harry to tap his hand with his wand. Harry did so and gasped as he watched the ink spread over his hand, forming his name.

"How do you think we made the Marauders Map?" Remus asked, as Harry looked at the quill, grinning... this used to belong to the Marauders, and now it was his. He kept the quill next to him as he reached for the next present, it was most definetly from Hagrid, it had holes in the side... like air holes. He opened it cautiously, even Ron bother him, telling him to unwrap faster with this one.

"Come on," Tonks said, impatiently as she took a sip if water, she seemed to be recovering well, "it won't bite."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Harry said, he pulled out the present and looked inside, his eyes widened as he showed everyone the Amphibius.

"Wow, Harry, that's unusual," Hermione said, looking at it as it peered up at the both of them with large pupiless eyes.

"No kidding," Harry grinned, as the frog croaked. "Beats Neville's hands down," he joked as Tonks took the creature in her hands and almost cooed over it.

"What're you going to name it?" Tonks asked. Harry hadn't really planned on naming it, he hadn't planned on getting one either.

"Erm..." he began, thinking hard.

"Erm, thats no good name for a frog," Tonks said, as she smiled at the creature... or in Harry's eyes rather, monster.

"Froggy?" Harry suggested, not very constructively. "Froggy the frog?" Ron snorted and had to turn away to hide his laughter, even Alastor seemed to be holding back a smile. Tonks conjoured Harry a makeshift tank for the frog and put it in it.

"It could come in handy," she told him. When? Harry thought, when I'm de-gnoming the School Grounds?

"Anyway, next present," Ron said, pestering Harry and passing him the next gift, which was merely named from 'The Order'. He opened it as Hermione looked worriedly at the rest, wondering if Harry would even like the present.

Harry looked at the book then turned it over and read the front cover, "How to handle your... Hippogriff?" Harry asked, in shock.

"Erm," Hermione began, "Harry, Hagrid also sent you... Buckbeak..." Harry turned round as two Order members, looking very worried themselves, brang in the Hippogriff. Harry looked on as if it was one big joke and someone would shout 'just kidding' any minute now. But no-one did, everyone looked solumnly on as Harry got up from his chair and looked the Hippogriff in the eyes, he tried hard not to blink, as he'd been instructed by Hagrid three years before.

Buckbeak gave Harry a memorable bow and continued towards Harry as he reached out for the Hippogriff.

"Hello Buckbeak," Harry said, his breathing becoming heavier as the Hippogriff reminded him of Sirius. Hermione was about to grab Buckbeaks reins and lead him away when Harry put his arms around the Hippogriff, burying his head in the feathers.

"I knew it was a bad idea," Tonks said, so Harry couldn't hear. "Hagrid wouldn't have none of it though, he insisted Harry had Buckbeak." Harry pulled away from the Hippogriff, who looked at Harry friendly and put his beak to Harry's cheek, as if in condolence.

"How can a 16 year old look after a Hippogriff? Honestly!" Mrs Weasley complained, as Beakbuck tried to lay down in the middle of the kitchen.

* * *

"Harry," Hermione said, "we all tried to stop Hagrid giving you Buckbeak but-"

"What makes you think I don't want Buckbeak?" Harry asked, as he, Hermione and Ron walked across the landing to the bedrooms.

"But Harry, you're at school all the time, how can Hagrid expect you to look after such a creature?" she asked. Harry didn't answer, he stopped aruptedly and walked into the room where Buckbeak was crunching rat bones happily.

"Harry, mate, we just want you to-" Ron began but Harry had shut the door behind him before he could finish. He strode over to the middle of the room where Buckbeak was lying and ruffled the creatures feathers.

"How can he do this?" Harry asked, quietly. "Does he want me to suffer...?" Harry asked, as he pulled something out of his pocket, it was the Marauders Map. He collapsed beside Buckbeak, who bent his round to almost comfort Harry. "It's not your fault Buckbeak," Harry added, after some consideration. "He's trying to help, he thinks he's helping me get past the grief..." Harry said, finally. The arrival of the Hippogriff had caused an end to the celebrations and half the presents still laided wrapped on the kitchen table. He suspected the Order were complaining about Hagrid; but if Dumbledore agreed Harry could have Buckbeak he must of thought Harry could stomach it all. In truth Harry felt sick to his very bones of the sight of anyone but the Hippogriff now. He looked up at Buckbeak and smiled a little.

"You're going to have to stay out of the way, Beaky, if anyone see's you they'll want to-" Harry stopped talking as he narrowed his eyes and looked closely at the Hippogriff. If he hadn't known any better he could of sworn there was a small tear in the corner of Buckbeak's black eyes...


	4. Disaster Strikes

**Chapter Four**

_-Disaster Strikes-_

* * *

"_My lord, everything is ready; Potter suspects nothing," a cold, squeaky voice said._

"_Well done, now…" the tallest man turned his attention to a small crystal on a table. "For the important part of my plan," the man in black robes smiled evilly as he placed his hand on the crystal, when he drew it back there was a face in it. The person was screaming soundlessly; his features were old and ancient. _

"_This is the Muggle fool Malfoy disposed of," Voldemort said, he took the crystal in his hand and threw it hard against the wall. A misty image of Ernie Trout appeared and faded away into the atmosphere. "Give me Black's!" Voldemort roared at Peter Pettigrew._

"_Lord… Black's did not show up," Peter squeaked, terrified. "I'm- I'm sorry, my lord."_

_Voldemort raised his wand at Peter, who tried to shield himself. "You fool, I told you to make sure Black was dead!" _

"_He is lord, be assured, Black is dead!" Peter said, putting his arms down slowly. Voldemort crossed the room to where a pile of crystals lay, each one with their own small face. He took one in his hand and showed it to Peter who gave a small choke like gasp. The person inside the crystal had fiery red hair and bright green eyes. _

"_I want Black's soul, and if you don't get you can be assured you will be joining him!" Voldemort cried, as he flung the crystal at Peter, it smashed at his feet and a ghostly image of Lily Potter faded away just as Ernie Trout had done._

"_I will get it, I promise lord," Peter said, frantically. _

"_Good, Wormtail, good," Voldemort sneered, he looked down at a crystal he held in his hand. "What they say is true," he added._

"_What is my lord?" Peter asked, still shaking._

"_Potter looks extremely like his father," the man replied, before shards of crystal fell to the ground, James Potter's image dissolving like those before him had done._

* * *

Harry awoke, his scar throbbing with pain; he expected to see Ron asleep beside him but instead he saw the closed eyes of a Hippogriff, he must have fallen asleep next to Buckbeak. His mind was still on his dream, and although he knew a lot of his dreams were something Voldemort had perhaps wanted him to see, he knew, somehow, Voldemort hadn't him to see that one. He thought about those crystals Voldemort had been destroying… what were they? Why did Voldemort want them? His neck felt stiff from where he had fallen asleep awkwardly on Buckbeak. He clambered to his feet; his tiredness had not been dispelled by his short sleep. He suspected he had only been there for perhaps two hours, probably less.

Harry could hear voices outside as the door creaked open slowly, in the hallway light he could make out Hermione's face.

"Harry, are you alright?" she asked, worriedly, she was in a periwinkle blue nightdress and Harry could see the bottom of her pyjama trousers protruding from underneath it. "We heard somebody shout and it came from here," she explained, her bushy brown hair was knotted at the back so it seemed she had been tossing and turning in her sleep.

"Yeah, I'm fine, nobody shouted," Harry replied, his scar still very painful.

"Did you fall asleep?" Hermione continued, holding up a candle in a glass so she could see him as she and Ron walked in.

"Er, well, I think so," Harry replied, lamely.

"We couldn't sleep," Ron explained, "Hermione said her room was too cold and I have this annoying owl hooting right outside my window." Hermione was sat next to Harry now, as Buckbeak slept silently. Ron joined Harry on his other side, so the three sat in darkness save from the little light the candle was giving.

"Harry, we're really worried about you, you don't have to keep Buckbeak if you don't want to," Hermione told him, putting the candle in the middle so they all had equalled light.

"No one's forcing you," Ron chimed in.

"I think I'm going to keep him, I can't very well send him back to Hagrid because Malfoy will try and get him executed again," Harry replied, sadly.

"Little git; bet he had a right tantrum when his dad got sent to Azkaban," Ron growled. Harry nodded, he was still thinking about the dream, should he tell Ron and Hermione about it or not? "Remember when we knocked that troll out in first year?" Ron asked.

"Yes, what about it?" Hermione replied, frowning.

"Nothing, I just wondered if you remembered it," Ron said, as Buckbeak gave a large yawn.

"As if we could forget," Harry smiled, the memory playing on his mind. When he saw Buckbeak yawn it made him incline to yawn as well, and he saw Hermione hold one back. "Hermione, have you ever heard of these crystal balls that… have people's soul in them, dead people's souls?"

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks cautiously, "no, I haven't," Hermione replied eventually. "Is there even such a thing?"

"I guess," Harry said, absently. Buckbeak stood up behind the three and started to eat a rat bone happily. Ron watched in disgust as Hermione held the candle up to see what the Hippogriff was doing.

"I think you've heard this enough times already Harry, but are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked, as Buckbeak lay restlessly down again.

Harry _had_ heard it enough times, but this time he really didn't know how to answer, "I'm not too sure Hermione."

* * *

The next morning when the sun rose and the candle in the room had blown out Harry awoke again, Ron has fallen asleep against Buckbeak and Hermione was laying on the carpet sound asleep. Harry had had enough of rude awakens by various members of the household and was now climbing to his feet, realising he had slept in a pair of jeans and top whereas both Ron and Hermione were in pyjamas. He left the two asleep, deciding it was best and started towards the pine door, no sooner had he put his hand on the door handle when Hermione too stood up, stretching.

"Remus wants to see you as soon as you wake up Harry," she told him, "you better go." He nodded in thanks and left the room, heading down towards the kitchen where he presumed Remus would be.

"Wotcher Harry," Tonks smiled, colour had come back to her young face and today her hair was long and chocolate brown. She and her father sat around the kitchen table where Harry's unopened presents lay.

"Morning, do you know where Remus is?" Harry asked as Tonks waved her wand and a pile of buttered toast appeared on a plate on the table.

"He should be along soon, he doesn't have lay ins often," Tonks explained, "I have to be at Grimmuald Place at nine," she looked up at the ticking clock. "So has Remus, he leaves for the mission today."

"Where's he going?" Harry asked, as he sat down and Ted offered him some toast, which he gladly took.

"Some part of Wales; I wouldn't ask him why he's going, mind you, he's very touchy about it." Tonks took a bite out of her toast as someone came down the stairs of Manovulo Mansion. It was Remus dressed in black robes.

"Good morning Harry, I see Hermione passed on my message." Remus smiled as he took some toast Tonks was holding out to him.

"Good morning Professor," Harry said, before stopping himself.

"Call me Remus, Harry, I'm no longer your Professor and unless you haven't noticed, I haven't been for two years now." Harry grinned over at the werewolf and took a second piece of toast.

"What did you want to talk about to me?" Harry asked.

"Well, the reason you came here, Harry, the werewolf that attacked you in Magnolia Crescent on Wednesday, well, what we believe to be a werewolf."

"It sure felt like one, if I hadn't of caught my coat on a bush I would have been of fine!" Harry complained, though light heartedly.

"First, may I say a well done for saving Piers Polkiss and Dudley Dursley, if you had not of warned them they would have been dead," Remus continued.

"What a shame that would be," Harry growled, thinking of his Muggle cousin and his stupid friend.

"Come now Harry, you saved lives that day," Remus said, smiling, "I have had Arthur Weasley check with the Ministry and it seems no werewolves reside anywhere near Privet Drive, or, of a matter of a fact, Surrey."

Harry looked up from his toast, "I think the werewolf was my cousin, Maisy, my Aunt Marge said she was bitten; it could have been by one of her dogs or by a werewolf, Marge is Muggle so she wouldn't be able to tell the difference."

"Now don't you think she would have noticed when every full moon her daughter transformed into a werewolf?" Remus asked, as he conjured some tea for the both of them.

"Not if it happened recently," Harry replied, smiling a little at his own idea.

"That would explain why she wasn't on the register, there are very little Muggle werewolves in England, Harry, and if this really was a werewolf chances are it would have been a witch or wizard." Remus continued.

"Remus!" Tonks said, as she stood up, Harry glanced at the clock on the wall; it was now five minutes till nine o'clock.

"I'm sorry we couldn't figure this out Harry, and I hope you don't suspect me as a Supporter still..." he flashed Harry a smile and nodded to Tonks, who waved at Harry before apparating with a _'pop'_ out of the Kitchen. Remus looked up at Harry then without another word followed Tonks' suit and apparated from the Kitchen. Ted Tonks stood up and made his way to the sink when there were two more pops. Harry looked up from his toast and frowned as Ted Tonks stumbled backwards.

"Morning Harry," Fred Weasley smiled, before sliding into a seat at the Kitchen table and grabbing some toast.

"We trust you slept well," George added as he too took a slice of buttered toast.

"Wish people would stop apparating in and out of my kitchen..." Ted said, obviously annoyed.

"He didn't though did he?" Fred asked, as he watched Ted walk slowly out the Kitchen.

"Did he sleep on nails or something?" George smirked. The twins were amused by Harry's vague shock at them apparating in suddenly, they both took the liberty in waving their hands and clicking their fingers infront of Harry's face.

"I think we killed him," George joked, as Harry pushed their hands away.

"Where- where did you two come from?" Harry asked, his toast forgotton for the time being.

"Diagon Alley of course," Fred said as if it was obviously. He shook his head at his twin as if Harry had asked a very silly and needless question. "Bet you had fun the rest of the year with Umbridge."

"Yeah, it was a riot," Harry said, dully.

"This'll cheer you up, happy birthday," George joked, putting the Daily Prophet on the table and turning it around so Harry could read it. 'Late night break-in at the Ministry results in 5 Death Eaters captured,' Harry read silently.

"Why were they trying to get in?" Harry asked, frowning.

"No one knows," Fred replied, as he bit into some toast.

"That's why the Aurors are having a 'chat' with them, shall we say?" George said, looking at Harry as if the whole thing was a joke. "They'll get it out of them, no worries." The three turned to look at the door where Ginny Weasley was standing, beaming happily at her brothers.

"Where did you go after...?" she trailed off, knowing they knew what she was about to say. The twins again exchanged looks, both shaking their heads this time.

"Diagon Alley," they replied, in unision. If Harry hadn't known the twins as well as he did he would of found this feat quite extraordinary, but as he did know them he wasn't bothered. Ginny didn't seem to know whether to hug them or stay standing at the doorway but in the end she awkwardly took her two brothers in a hug.

"Mum didn't die without us did she?" Fred asked, in mock worry.

Ginny laughed as she too took a seat, "don't flatter yourselves; she's been coping fine."

"Has Percy sent her any letters yet? Any really long two-foot apology letters?" George asked. Harry looked between the three, finding this more of a family moment he was about to get up and leave when Ron and Hermione appeared at the Kitchen doorway, both bickering endlessly.

"For goodness sakes Ron, it's S.P.E.W and no, I haven't asked Vicktor to join yet!" Hermione said, waspishly.

"You could make him co-founder or something," Ron said, as he walked into the Kitchen, he stopped when he saw his brothers; unlike Ginny he didn't rush and hug them he just grinned broadly.

"The Leaky Cauldron kick you out?" he asked.

"Old Tom went off the handle for a couple of explosions on the stairs, honesty, one months ban!" Fred complained, smiling back at his brother. "Seen the paper?" he asked, handing it to Ron. Ginny and Hermione leaned over to read too.

"What were they trying to break in for?" Ron asked, "they were basically putting themselves in obvious danger anyway with the Order on guard twenty-four-seven." Harry thought back to his dream, when Peter had been asking why Voldemort would risk his followers for something valuable and he smiled. It was definitely starting to make things look brighter, he didn't even wonder why the Death Eaters were trying to get in he was just glad they had been caught.

"Some will get scared now that they will be caught too," Hermione said, suddenly, making everyone look up at her, "so pretty soon he won't be left with many followers; only the ones afraid of death and those stupid enough to put themselves at risk."

"Which means he'll still have a lot of followers, but atleast we know they're all dumb." Ron grinned. "We can confuse them with one of Hermione's fifty foot essays while we stun them." Fred, George, Ginny and Harry smirked but Hermione crossed her arms angerily but didn't reply. The door opened again and Molly and Arthur Weasley walked in. Molly looked shocked at the sight of her two sons sitting at the Kitchen table.

"How on earth did you know we were here?" Molly asked as she walked towards them.

"Nice to see you too mother," Fred grinned. "Ron sent us an owl a few days ago," he explained. Arthur suddenly clapped his hands together, surprising them all.

"Right, we better get going Molly," he said, as his wife turned to face him, an accusing look in her eye. "Now Molly, I have nothing to do with this," he told her, as his wife turned back and he shook his head violently at Fred and George over her shoulder.

"Well?" Molly asked; they'd be a lot of shouting if Fred and George did tell their mother their father had owled them numerous times, just about enough to keep the rest of the castle residents awake.

"Nah, dad didn't even know where we'd gone," Fred replied as his twin agreed. Harry smirked as he saw Arthur's relieved face.

"Come on Molly," said Arthur, cheerfully. "We're going to Diagon Alley, want to come Harry? Ron? Hermione?" The three exchanged gleeful looks and agreed to tag along. Harry was about to get up when Crookshanks, Hermione's cat that looked like it had a squashed face, jumped up to his lap and curled up.

"Oh, I haven't fed Crookshanks," Hermione said, picking the cat up before it made claw like holes in Harry's trousers.

"Can't it eat rats or something like normal cats?" Ron asked, as the cat in question hissed at him as Hermione passed.

"Tonks said she had cat food in one of these cupboards," Hermione continued, ignoring Ron, "but I can't remember which one." The first cupboard opened in a cloud of flour and dust causing the people nearest to cough continiously.

"Here it is," Hermione said, inbetween coughs. She pulled a tin of cat food down from next to a bag of table salt and opened it up, the room filled with the strong stench of chicken and tuna.

"I'm never getting a cat!" Ron complained as his coughing ceased.

"Only too right you're not," Molly replied, thinking of the bills a cat would toll up. "It would eat more than us."

"If it's anything like that cat it _would_ eat us!" Ron joked as the foul smell drifted away. Hermione threw Ron a glare as she put Crookshanks down infront of the bowl and turned back to the group, who all seemed to think the smell of cat food was something they'd rather forget.

"Alright, are we ready?" Arthur asked, he wondered if there was anyone else who had accidently forgot to feed their pets.

"I think so," Mrs Weasley replied, getting her bag and putting it on her shoulder. She took some powder from a small green vase and threw it into the fire. "Diagon Alley," she said clearly as she stepped in and in seconds she was gone. The rest of the group followed suit save Fred and George who both proudly apparated to Diagon Alley.

It was only when Harry heard a soft and recognisable voice did he look up from brushing soot form his jeans. Mrs Weasley was heavy in conversation with Pandora Hevil, who had about a dozen potions stacked up in her arms; Mr Weasley was eyeing the two woman cautiously, he seemed weary of Pandora.

"Good afternoon, Mr Potter," she said, smiling coldly. Since Harry's accusation against her they had reverted to using last names. Harry was about to reply when someone hurried up to Pandora; he was a tall boy with a lopsided grin and a small beard.

"Here you go Aunt Pan," he said, putting the huge boxes of potions down on the ground beside Pandora. "Hey," he muttered gruffly at Mrs Weasley, as if he had only just noticed her. "Jack Abercrombie, pleasure," he said holding his hand out to her.  
Mrs Weasley took Jack's hand and shook it, "nice to meet you Jack," she replied. Jack's eyes scanned the twins then the trio, and he moved towards them. He came to a stand-still infront of Hermione and grinned as if he had just won the Wizard Lottery.  
"Hi," he smiled, holding his hand out to her. Harry saw Ron roll his eyes and step away towards his parents. When Hermione took Jack's hand he practically beemed at her and she smiled nervously.

"Hello," she said, trying to sound as if she was vaguely intrested in him. "I'm Hermione Granger," she told him.

"I know you, you were in your third year when I left," Jack said. Pandora stepped forward and pulled her nephew back beside her with a warning glare.

"Jack is my nephew, his brother and sister, Euan and Maria, are around here somewhere..." Pandora said, looking around her as if she half expected the two children to pop out of nowhere. "Jack's finished Hogwarts and Euan is just about to start his second year, Maria is the youngest; she'll go to Hogwarts next year." Jack was still looking over at Hermione's direction a little too obviously and neither Pandora or Ron looked too pleased. Harry listened to Pandora in shock; so Euan and Maria were related to her? Did they find out about the Werewolf attack from her? Why would she tell them they listed Remus as the top suspect if he was her friend? So many questions ran through Harry's mind as Jack said a hurried goodbye and left with the crate in his arms.

"What a strange kid," Ron said under his breath as Jack left; apparently Pandora heard him because she gave him a cold glare.

"It's nice to see you again Molly, have a good day, goodbye," Pandora said swiftly before turning on her heel and walking away with the potions clustered in her arms.

Mrs Weasley gave her youngest son a glare too and she walked off down Diagon Alley, her family and friends hurrying along behind her trying to keep up as she strode along. She didn't look very pleased at all at Ron, or any of the others for that matter; it was as if she was taking her anger with Ron out on everyone else. She walked into Flourish and Blotts, the group behind almost running to catch up. There was a lot of shoppers that day, infact, Diagon Alley was more packed than Harry had ever seen it before; people trying to catch the sales, he guessed. There was a lot of sales on at Flourish and Blotts, mostly on the books that didn't meet the Witch Weekly's bestseller list. Harry picked up a book on Defensive Magic, flicking through it he already discovered that it was full of intresting facts

"Defensive Magic and it's uses?" Ron read over his friends shoulders. "Could be useful for," he lowered his voice drastically, "the DA."

Harry considered this, the book had a lot of amazing spells in it and it was on sale... It was 10 Galleons in all, not a bad price for such a thick book.

"You're right," he said back before slipping the book under his arm with the intention to buy it.

"Oh great," Ron moaned, Harry followed his gaze up the aisle of Dark Art books and saw Draco Malfoy with his mother. Obviously remembering his father's last encounter with any one of the Malfoy's Ron tried to move his father away from view of the aisle but it was far too late, Draco had spotted them and was grinning broadly.

"Why if it isn't Potty and the Weasel," Draco smirked. "I see your in the sales department Weasley, isn't that too expensive for you?" Draco's lip curled into a cruel smile as Ron turned a very deep shade of red.

"Shut up Malfoy," Ron growled as Fred and George came over, both looked ready to hex Draco if necassary.

"Is this git bothering you Ron?" Fred asked, clenching his teeth. He seemed more intent on looking for an excuse to hex Malfoy than helping out his younger brother at the moment.

"It's alright," Ron said, "he was just going."

"Oh, was I?" Draco asked, he saw Fred and George's wand, and he just smiled. "Going to hex me then?" he asked as his mother walked over. She had a vacant expression on her face, as if she wasn't entirely sure why she was in the shop to begin with.

"Come on Draco," she said, looking down her nose at the Weasley's and Harry.

"Hold on mum, I'm just have a discussion with Weasley," Draco told her, she nodded as if she was neither proud nor embarassed by this and again she went back to searching the shelves.

"How's daddy doing all locked up in prison?" Harry asked. "Making nice with the Dementors?"

"You better watch your back back, Potter," Draco growled. "The Dementors aren't going to stick around, and when they're gone... then we'll see whose making the wisecracks then."

"Right," Harry retorted, angerily. "Let me know when the Dementors leave, will you?" He aked, sarcastically.

"So you can what Potter? So you can cower underneath a table? Or maybe you'll set some cushions out for you to faint on," Draco joked. There was a flash of light, quicker than Harry had ever seen. He looked at Fred and George, who both still had their wand tips facing the floor, Ron's wand was tucked away in his pocket and no one else was around. Harry looked down at his own wand and picked it up from the back pocket of his jeans, the tip was glowing profusely as if it was metal that had just been in extreme heat. Draco was sitting on the floor, his hands over his mouth. It seemed however Harry had cast the spell it had been effective enough to send Drac flying back a few feet and make him belch up slugs in the middle of the book shop.

"That is disgusting," Ron said, not even registering that was what Hermione and Harry had witnessed three years beforehand when he had had the same spell cast on him accidently by his backfiring wand.

"Come on," Harry said, a hint of urgency in his voice; he couldn't believe it, again he had used magic out of school... surely this would be the last time they would let him off for doing so. He expected the owl from the Ministry to fly down any minute now, but it didn't come; he even looked out the window, staring for minutes just waiting for the letter. Maybe he had been automatically expelled from Hogwarts, or maybe Dumbledore had been informed and he was fighting Harry's case... again. As much as Harry detested Albus Dumbledore for keeping secrets from him he had to admit, the man had pulled a lot of rabbits out of a hat to save Harry more than once.

"What are you looking for Harry?" Hermione asked as she came along, two thick books in her arms.

"What- oh nothing," Harry replied, spinning around and going over to an aisle to pretend to look for books. He was deep in though and the anxiety of not knowing whether or not he was in trouble or expelled made it impossible to put the thought to the back of his mind. Maybe he'd go to Azkaban, maybe he'd be put in a cell right next to Lucius Malfoy, maybe he'd have to live off Azkaban prison food for six months.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "I know you're not looking at books," she told him, looking down at the book Harry was holding open absently in his hands.

"What? I am too," Harry declared.

"Oh really?" Hermione asked, she took the book off Harry and turned it the right way round. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Positive," Harry replied dryily; he was sick and tired of people's constant questions on his well-being, couldn't they see he was perfectly fine? The truth was Harry didn't feel fine, infact he felt like his stomach had twisted so badly it created a strange sensation inside, and it was as if his heart had slowed, making him gasp for breath. The want to know what was happening was unbearable, he moved the aisles and looked absently at the titles of books, not at all registering them.

"Now I know something is wrong," Hermione said, pointing to the title of the certain group of books Harry was peering at; 'Dark Arts.'

"You're right, something is wrong," Harry replied, but he didn't elaborate, instead he crossed to the window, peering out and waiting still.


	5. Shadows at Midnight

**Chapter Five**

_-Shadows at Midnight-_

* * *

Mrs Weasley finally found Harry sitting by the window in Flourish and Blotts, her face was, if possible, paler than the paper in the book she had clutched in her hand.

"Harry dear, what's wrong?" Molly asked as she took a seat beside him. Harry didn't reply at first, he didn't want to tear his vision from the sky in case the Owl arrived. "You know, your OWL results arrived this morning," she continued. Harry saw Ginny's worried face out of the corner of his eye but he didn't turn to speak yet. "I bet you did well," Molly said.

"Yeah," Harry said, solemnly. Ginny had moved out of his eyeline and he was touched slightly that was was concerned, though he didn't know why. He was so used to Mrs Weasley fretting over him he had never noticed that she wasn't the only one worrying; other people did to, and Sirius used to do it too...

"Come on dear, let's go," Molly said as her daughter joined her by her side. "It's going to be a long day on Monday," she reminded him. "I've got all your books here with me."

"Come on Harry," Ginny spoke up and Harry turned to look at her, for the first time he noticed she had had a growth spurt; she was no longer the fourteen year old he had travelled with to the Ministry, no longer the eleven year old he had rescued from the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny too had seen things like Harry had, Ginny had been there with him and fought bravely, she insisted to come along.

Harry stood up, however reluctantly and sighed, the Owl would find him where ever he was. It was most likely annoying Ted back at Malunovo Mansion, there was no use worrying about it untill the time came to rightly do so. Harry rejoined Hermione and Ron, who were, to no one's surprise, argueing.

"Oh please Ron, spare me some credit," Hermione said. "If you're so _jealous_ of Vicktor then why don't you just put him to the back of your mind and forget it?"

"I can't! Not that I'm jealous anyway," Ron said, his ears were burning red now. "The guy's a git Hermione, he just thinks because he's a big Quidditch Professional that he has more rights than the rest of us."

Hermione looked along the street and sighed, "to be honest Ron, because he is a big Quidditch Professional he does get more rights, it's not right, I know, but it's true."

Ron fell silent all of sudden, thinking about what Hermione had said, Harry looked away from them and at Ginny, who smiled back at him.

"Do they always argue themselves out like that?" Ginny asked.

"Unfortunately so, just let them run their course and they'll be alright," Harry said, looking back at the two who had lapsed into silence.

"Hermione reminds me of my mum when she argues," Ginny laughed dully, Harry didn't know how to reply even though this statement struck him as halfway true.

"Harry?" Molly asked, it took Harry a minute to realise they were already at the alleyway leading to the back of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry walked in and held the door for Molly and Ginny, who smiled thankfully. Fred and George apparated to the Mansion when they saw Tom standing at the bar, making sure they didn't violate the ban.

Harry took some floo powder and threw it into the fire place, some of the power caught in the air floated down and made him sneeze as she said Malunovo Mansion and he fell foward into a fireplace that was obviously not the right place. He had done this before but never had he landed in another person's house.

The room was dull, it was painted in black and had very little decorations around it, just a long wooden table and a few chairs. The door of the room opened a bit and Harry stood up, looking around for somewhere to hide. He did so in a small room that looked like a closet, beneath his feet was a trap door and he frowned but paid little attention to it; his scar started to throb furiously now. He peeked through the crack in the door to see a woman walk by holding a bucket, the door of the room opened and Harry had to stop himself from crying out. Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway, holding the bucket in his hands as he belched up slugs.

"Stupid Potter, when I see him again I'm going to-" Draco threw up some more slugs, "-hex him into oblivion, he's so stupid I can make it look like he did it to himself." Harry clenched his teeth together and looked around the room again, so this is where Malfoy lived? No wonder the boy was dull.

"Here you go," another voice said, Narcissa Malfoy hurried in and passed her son a glass of water.

"What a revolting spell... I must remember it. Potter didn't even use an incantation to make the spell work," Draco said in between sips of the water.

"He must of used some forbiddon magic," Narcissa said, "with any luck he'll get expelled, the silly-"

"-Mudblood lover. He and that idiot Mudblood should be ashamed of themselves with the parents they had, Potter's mum was just as disgusting as Granger is." Draco drawled, Harry clenched his fist now, how was it possible for Draco to insult his mum and friend in the same sentence? Narcissa left her son to stew for a while and Harry sat down silently on the floor, trying to think how he'd get out of this one when a 'pop' made him look up. It was Walden McNair, the person who would of killed Buckbeak if Harry and Hermione hadn't stopped him; Buckbeak and Sirius had escaped over two years ago now.

"What is it?" Draco spat at McNair, he threw up violently again and Harry watched in relish as he saw what he could only guess was pain flicker across the Slytherin's face.

"It's about the thing our Lord wanted," McNair said quickly, as if he could of been followed. "That fool Dumbledore's only gone and hidden it in Potter's vault."

"Fine," Draco said, "break in and get it."

"It's not as simple as that, those Goblins have a tight security on the place," McNair replied.

"I said break in and get it, you don't want me to tell the Lord that you're directly disobeying orders from a top Followers son?" Draco asked.

"No, of course not, I'll get it," McNair said and dissaparated quickly. Harry hoped he spelched himself.

"You're going to pay for this Potter," Draco said to himself and swiftly walked out the room. Harry brushed all the Floo Powder he could off himself and collected it in a small pile in his hand. He ran to the fire as quickly as possible and walked in, throwing the powder.

"Malunovo Mansion," Harry said clearly and as he saw fireplaces pass before him he saw Narcissa Malfoy's surprised face as he dissapeared from view in her fireplace. Harry hit the living room fireplace hard and rolled out, coughing soot and ashes out of his mouth. Narcissa had walked in at the last moment and seen him disappear... would she follow? Would she get a big group of Death Eaters to attack the Mansion?

"Hello?" Harry coughed, he got up and walked into the hallway. The eccentric decorations assured him he was in the right place and he walked down to the kitchen, opening the door. The crowd of people stood there, Ginny saw him first and looked relieved.

"Harry!" Mrs Weasley said, taking him in a bear hug. Ron and Hermione sighed in relief too when they saw him.

"We wondered where you'd gone mate, not all the fireplaces are a great place to land in," Ron said.

"I know," Harry replied as Molly squeezed him. "I ended up in Malfoy's house."

"Oh my, Harry..." Molly said as Tonks pulled her off him, she was back from the meeting but without Remus.

"What's it like? Full of dark arts and stuff I bet!" Ron exclaimed, looking intrested now he knew his friend was safe.

"Dull actually, Malfoy's mum saw me just as I disappeared again," Harry said, then turned to Tonks and Alastor, "there's going to be an attack on Gringotts, something about something in my vault. What is it?" Harry asked, sternly. "Why did Dumbledore move it there?"

"Harry, we'll answer questions... soon enough," Tonks said, her chocolate coloured hair hanging in bangs around her young face.

"When's soon?" Harry snapped. "I'm tired of things being kept from me!"

"Soon is when we know the answers ourselves, Potter," Alastor said. "Now keep your voice down."

Tonks frowned, "Alastor, you can't seriously think that they'd attack here... now? That's outragous."

"Constant vigilance, Nymphadora," Alastor said, before Tonks could complain about her name he continued, "expect the unexpected."

"Really Mad-Eye, if everyone expected the unexpected imagine the amount of paraniod wizards we'd..." Tonks trailed off when she saw Molly's vicious headshaking. "Never mind," Tonks finished.

Dinner that night was a small one, consisting only of Molly, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Harry, Hermione, Tonks and Alastor; it was much smaller than usual. They all sat around the long table and when someone asked for the food they would often have to repeat it loudly twice before someone understood what they were saying because the group sat so far away from each other. If the shouting had been at Grimmauld Place Sirius's mother would be shouting her head off now. Harry half expected her to everytime some one asked for the carrots or the mashed potatoes.

"Gravy!" Ron bellowed down the table, a little too loudly. Fred had been using the gravy last and, with his wand, send the gravy pot speeding down the table to Ron. It hit his outstretched arm and splashed in his face, Fred snorted loudly but not half as loudly enough so that anyone could hear.

"This is ridiculous," Molly said, angerily.

"What?" Tonks bellowed from the other end.

"I said this is ridiculous!" Molly replied, equally as loud.

"I know," Tonks replied and looked down at her untouched food; no one, especially Harry, was at all hungry. Anxiety stopped Harry feeling hungry, what was in his vault? Why hadn't he been expelled for using magic? Why did no one tell him off for using magic out of school? Silence came over the group, the only sound was that of Fred and George picking at their food and their forks hitting their plates sometimes.

Tonks dropped her fork, "I'm going to bed, see you all tomorrow," she said. Her dinner was untouched and Harry wondered why, was she as anxious about something as him?

"Me too," Harry said quickly, he vaulted out of his seat and ran after Tonks, he caught up with her as she started to go up the stairs. "Tonks," Harry said, almost out of breath. "What's wrong?"

"Right back at you," Tonks said. "This morning you ate that toast like a pig and now you won't even pick at your food."

"I'm worried," Harry said. "I used magic out of school today..." he told her.

"I know," Tonks said flatly, "Albus told us," she didn't tell Harry whether or not he was in trouble though.

"Why are you worried?" Harry asked, looking up at her young face; he realised that she had a worried expression on it. She reached over and took Harry's glasses off his nose, Harry reached for them out of instict as Dudley used to do this to tease him.

"What do you see?" Tonks asked, holding Harry's glasses carefully.

"Nothing without my glasses," Harry said, waspishly.

"If somone apparated infront of you could you tell whether or not they were good or bad?" Tonks continued.

"My scar," Harry replied simply, he didn't see the point of this.

"What if your scar wasn't there, how would you know?" Came the reply from Tonks.

"I... I don't know," Harry said, and as he said these words Tonks put his glasses back on.

"That's one thing that worries me Harry, that you can't see through people, that you can't see the good and you can't see the evil, not without knowing them. Just looking at someone isn't enough to decide."

"What's all this got to do with your worries?" Harry asked, a little more colder than intended.

"I worry that maybe you're looking at some people in the wrong light," Tonks said. "That your accusing people without knowing them."

"What else are you worried about?" Harry asked, not wanting her to go into detail on his lack of judgement.

"Remus, but that's all I'm saying," Tonks said, going to walk up the stairs again when Harry grabbed her sleeve.

"Tell me," he pressed.

"I told you Harry, we'll tell you when we know the answers," Tonks replied, pulling her sleeve from Harry's grip.

"But you know the answers, you just won't tell me!"

"Stop being a child," Tonks snapped suddenly. "Harry, look at me, sitting around here whilst Remus, my friend and my fellow Order member, is out on a mission none of us wanted to take on isn't my prefered choice of action. Remus is a dear friend and a strong man and I know he can fight this battle but it's not just him I'm worried about, his mission involves others and it doesn't just stop and start with 'Harry' all the time. Stop thinking you're the only one who wants to know stuff, the only one kept in the dark; stop acting like a five year old and start acting your age!"

Harry looked taken aback, his hand dropped limply to his side and Tonks ran up the stairs, obviously fuming. He followed her silently but walked to his room slowly as Tonks slammed her door. Ron came up a few minutes after Harry did, looking worried.

"You alright mate?" Ron asked, sitting down on his bed. "What happened?"

Harry looked at Froggy sitting in a corner and frowned, "Tonks just snapped, she went crazy..." Harry said. "She rambled on about not being the only one in the dark and... and acting my age."

"PMS, I'm sure everyone is getting that more than they should do recently," Ron said.

"She just flew at me," Harry said. "She shouted at me, she called me a child... do I act childish?" Harry asked.

"Well, er..." Ron said, looking around for a distraction. "I'm sure she didn't mean it."

The door opened again and Hermione entered, looking awkward.

"Hello Harry," she said, she sat next to him and watched him look sadly on at his frog.

"Cheer up, Harry, all woman are snappy like that," Ron assured his friend.

Hermione looked over at Ron, angrily, "perhaps we're snappy because men are so ignorant to what we are feeling?" she suggested. "Harry, Tonks is anxious about Remus, he's obviously on an important mission; they're friends, what do you expect? She is the end of her thether dealing with you using magic out of school and with you ending up in Malfoy's house. Her anxiety will keep her awake, it will stop her from eating, she'll be quick to anger and snappy."

Ron gaped at her, "you have to consider writing that book, Hermione."

"How did you know I used magic out of school?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Fred and George kept going on how brilliant it was to watch you hex Malfoy so he threw up slugs," Hermione winced. They heard Molly climb the stairs and Hermione left the room to go to sleep, she slept in a small room on the other side of the mansion with Ginny. Harry laid down still fully clothed and sighed heavily, shutting his eyes for a second. Within minutes he was asleep, his wand still tucked in his pocket.

Presently there was some noise from downstairs, Harry awoke; the small oil candle that had been burning had burnt itself out and Ron was snoring loudly, spread out over his bed.

There were voices outside the bedroom and Harry grabbed his wand, his heart beating fast as he saw a light and people's feet under the gap between the door and the carpet. The voices were hushed so Harry couldn't make out what was being said. He hoped this was all a dream and he'd wake up in a minute and the sun would be shining. Harry checked his watch as the light from in front of the door lit the room up enough to see it. Four o'clock in the morning. Whoever was outside were early birds, he'd give them that.

Beside him Ron stirred, sitting up as the light shone in his eyes.

"Turn out the light," he complained quietly.

"Keep your voice down," Harry said, he felt like Mad-Eye now with all his paranioa. Ron sat up, drawing his own wand as he heard the door creak open, both boys were up and alert and when the two people stepped inside both were ready. One of the men stood dead still and Harry saw in the light from the others wand it was not an Order member. The other man lunged forward at Ron, he hit his head hard on the cabnet and fell to the floor. For one second Harry feared his friend was dead but Ron sat up, shoving the man off him.

"Geroff," he growled, holding his wand to the the mans head. Ron's own head hurt badly where he had hit it and Harry called to him as the other man attacked him with a spell, Ron ducked and the spell hit the man laying over Ron.

"Lumos!" Harry called and the spell lit the room, more magic used. The man laying on Ron was a short, stocky one with blue eyes and brown hair. The man at the doorway was McNair and he apparated from sight as Tonks and Molly, dressed in nightwear, arrived at the scene.

"What's going on?" Molly asked, looking from her son laying on the floor to Harry to the man laying on her son.

"McNair and this guy attacked us," Ron explained, rubbing his head. Tonks held her wand out to the man on Ron.

"Don't move," she warned him. "Make one wrong move and I'll kill you," she said. Ron whimpered, if the man didn't get off him soon he'd get killed too if he moved.

"Kill me and you kill the boy too," the man said, he looked young, around his late teens. Ron looked exteremely uncomfortable under a Death Eater that was theatening with his life.

"A risk I'll have to take to protect the rest of the people here," Tonks told the boy. Ron whimpered louder and with all the strength he could muster he pushed the man off him, howling in pain as the man put his hand on Ron's leg. Ron had landed awkwardly on it as he had been tackled, and his head hurt too.

"Who are you?" Tonks asked. "And put your wand on the floor," she ordered. The man bent down and put his wand on the floor infront of Tonks and took a step back.

"I'm no one," he said, simply.

"No one isn't a name, give me a name!" Tonks said, forcefully.

"Marcus Flint," the boy replied, looking angry. Harry now recognised him from school he had graduated last year only that he looked different, he looked sick even; he looked in pain.

"What happened?" Ron asked, holding his head.

"I believe your victim asked you a reasonable question, Flint, answer him!" Tonks bellowed.

"Nothing happened, when I left school I was made to drink unicorn blood by my parents," Marcus continued, coughing now and then. "I fell ill because of it and... and the Dark Lord offered me a trade, my health for Weasley," he said, nodding at Ron.

"What on earth does he want with me?" Ron asked.

"I can't say that," Marcus said. "I'd rather be ill than dead." Tonks looked at Molly who put her wand down, the boy who was obviously in pain had been trying to save his own skin from something someone else inflicted on him. Although Marcus Flint was a brutal Quidditch player he wasn't trying to still kill Ron, or bring him back to Voldemort.

"Are you alright Ron? Harry?" Molly asked, Harry nodded as Ron shook his head.

"I think that idiot broke my leg," Ron said, holding the same leg he had broken back in his third year.

"Hold still while I splint it Ron," Tonks said, waving her wand at Ron so bandages wrapped around his leg and Harry helped him onto the bed. Marcus stood in the middle of the room, looking tired. "As for you, come with me," Tonks said, taking the boys wand, "and no funny stuff."

"Funny stuff?" Marcus repeated, frowning. He followed Tonks out of the room silently, she kept a close eye on him and made him walk infront once they were outside the room again. Alastor caught up with them and Molly looked down at Ron, envoloping him in a bear hug.

"Alright mum... you're squashing my leg!" Ron shouted through his mother's tight grip. She let go and hurried out to see where Tonks had taken Marcus.

"You think they'll send Flint to Azkaban?" Harry asked.

"I doubt it, I reckon they'll think it's too risky; he'd just have someone come rescue him wouldn't he?" Ron replied, wincing painfully. "Always the leg," he said, laying on the bed. Two figures appeared at the door dressed in pyjamas, Ginny and Hermione looked distraught.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Did they hurt you?" Ginny said, simultaneously. Both boys looked shocked at this attention and Ron pointed to his leg.

"Just a friendly tap," he said, his sister sat at the end of his bed while Hermione, who was getting increasingly worried, paced the room. Harry felt his anxiety, if possible, rise more... he was now putting his friends in direct danger; he was a threat to them more than Voldemort was.

"I think... I think I'll go find Tonks," he said. "I'll go see what she did with Flint." Harry jumped up and strode quickly across the room and out the door. He thought as he walked... Ron could of been killed because of him; what if they went after Ginny and Hermione next? What if they didn't defend themselves? What if no one reached them in time? Given a few more seconds Flint and McNair would of killed Ron on the spot. Harry was met in the hallway by Ted Tonks, who grabbed his arm and pulled him into a bathroom, a small beam of light from the hallways trailed in, illuminating Ted's face.

"Harry," he said, gruffly, "listen to me, be careful," he said. "Remus Lupin has gone on a mission that involves you, Snape and Aberforth," he told him. Harry stepped backwards in to the wall, he was suddenly aware of how easy it would of been to attack him then; he didn't quite register the information Ted was giving him.

"I- Where did Tonks go?" Harry asked quickly.

"Nymphadora went downstairs with a boy," Ted said, the bathroom door crashed open and missed Harry's face by inches. Mad-Eye Moody stood in the doorway, looking extremely angry and worried.

"Out, get out!" Alastor snapped as Fred and George's bedroom door slammed open and looked out at what the fuss was. "You two go back to bed," Alastor ordered but neither twin made a move to shut the door.

"What's going on?" Fred asked Harry who opened his mouth to reply.

"I said go to bed," Alastor said, he was imensely angered now, Harry guessed the fact they'd had an attack right under the Orders' noses had shaken him even a little bit. "And you Harry, go back to bed," Mad-Eye said.

"What are you doing with Flint?" Harry ordered but Alastor's stern look told him that he wasn't going to know, not tonight at least. Harry left back to his room, where Ron was reaccounting (with small added details) the attack that had taken place.

"What's going on then Harry?" Ginny asked, cutting her brothers' tale short.

"About Flint I don't know," Harry replied, "about Remus' mission I do..." Harry began to reaccount what happened when he had tried to go downstairs, but not quite made it.

* * *

The sun rose next morning on a glorious day, outside the warm sun had replaced the cold and a gentle breeze replaced the fierce southern winds. Harry awoke and for a second believed he was at home with the Dursleys, where he made breakfast and worked day in and day out. He smiled when he realised he was at the creaky, eccentric Malunovo Mansion and that today, Sunday, was the day before his return to Hogwarts. Harry didn't want to return to Hogwarts one little bit, the same old familier feeling of wanting to crawl under his duvet and never come out had returned. Harry eventually got up, trying to remember what had happened after Alastor had sent him back to his room. Ginny and Hermione had gone back to their rooms and Alastor had fixed Ron's leg perfectly, perhaps even better than Madame Pomfrey could of done.

He sat on his bed after he had changed and waited for Ron to awake, his friend wasn't much of a morning person where as Harry had become accustomed to going to bed and waking up sometimes before sunrise. Ron snored and turned over, finally awaking as he set his eyes on Harry who was up and changed.

"It's a Sunday mate, rest, have a lie-in," Ron told him, "everyone else won't wake for hours and you'll be alone down in the Kitchen." As soon as Ron had said these words his best friend was on his feet and making his way to the door. "Suit yourself," Ron said, yawning and shutting his eyes again.

Harry had the slight happy feeling of waking up and feeling refreshed. When he got to the kitchen he stopped short, sitting at the kitchen table was Alastor Moody and Marcus Flint.

"Morning," Marcus said, as if he had never tried to hurt Harry or Ron the night before; his peaky look had lifted and he looked a little less ill.

"We're working on a potion to get Marcus well again, come help us," came a voice from the pantry, Tonks jogged up the stone steps, almost tripping.

"I'll pass," Harry said dully and headed to Buckbeak's room for some much needed alone time.


End file.
